Reading Throughout Time
by GraceEliza21
Summary: The gods are fighting, but then the fates show up with a prophecy, some demigods, and some books. And when a mortal unknown to the Greek world shows up, what will happen? Will reading the books bring back memories, will the mortal find a love interest, and will fights break out? Where do the Romans come into this? Please Read! Disclaimer: I don't own the bolder portion.
1. Introduction

Hey, I Know I haven't updated my other story and I shouldn't be starting another, but I have major writers block, so I thought maybe this could help. I'll try to update as much as I can, but school is crazy. I have so much homework, but I'm going to work hard to update both. Ok, and this idea is so over used, but I thought my little twist may help a little. So without a further ado, here is the first chapter of READING THROUGHOUT TIME.

And by the way, I do not own the bolded parts of the story, that's Rick Riordan. So Comment and tell me what you think. I an determined to finish this one and my other story, and if you haven't read that one check it out. So here's chapter one...

**_Chapter One: Introduction_**

The gods were all sitting in the throne room talking, well arguing at the moment. Poseidon was yelling at Athena, Zeus was being yelled at by Hera about his kids, Apollo was planning a prank with Hermes and surprisingly Hades. Hestia and Demeter talking nicely about something, Ares and Aphrodite were arguing, and the rest were just sitting around waiting to do something productive.

Suddenly, the room filled with a glowing blue light, so bright the gods had to look away. When they turned back, the three fates were standing in the middle of the throne room.

Apollo was the first to say something. "Hello ladies, is something wrong? Speak."

They spoke together in the same cold, scratchy, spine-tingling voice. "The boy shall save the world, then fall. He will be gone and try to get back. To understand the future you must learn it. You will read and learn, but with each word comes a consequence. You will have to read every book, every word for it all to be over. Begin, and don't hurt your demigods." After they spoke, the light engulfed them, and they disappeared leaving six books in their wake. Every god was frozen in their thrones. Hestia was the first to move. She got up from the hearth and walked over to the books. "Well, I'm guessing they are all about the same demigod. They are called, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters, Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse, Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth, Demigod Files, and Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian. Well, I guess the big question is whose son is he?"

Nobody answered, they just sat there. "Maybe it is too far into the future to tell. We will probably find out as we read." Athena said. The gods nodded. "Who shall read first?"

"I will," said Hermes. He got a few questioning looks. "What? I can read you know," he said annoyed.

Hestia passed him the book. Just as he opened to the first page, light filled the room again. As it dimmed, seven children stood in the throne room. "You summoned us Lord Zeus?" The blonde one with stormy grey eyes said as she bowed. She glared at the others and they bowed as well, though a little grudgingly.

"We don't even know who you are. Identify your selves!" Zeus boomed.

"Ok, dad, I get that the gods went silent, but pull the stick out of your ass and just say thanks for us saving Olympus. Can you not interrupt the building of the ship, it's kind of important for the fate of the world, even if you are too stubborn to admit it? You didn't have to go and kidnap the hero who helped you. Stop being so proud and just get over yourself," growled a girl with black hair, bright blue eyes, and punk clothes on. The other demigods just looked at her in amazement. Why would she get so pissed when they could vaporize us in the blink of an eye?

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO A GOD LIKE THAT? DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH?" yelled Zeus.

"Some god who won't even admit he has two kids and yells at Poseidon and Hades when they break the oath. You are the biggest hypocrite of all the gods," says one that was dressed in all black and very was pale.

Silence filled the room. Zeus glared at the two demigods who spoke out, who glared right back. "What year is it?" Athena asked the young demigods.

"2013," said an elfish looking guy before the other two could burst out again.

"Oh my," Athena gasped, "Well it looks like the Fates made you time travel. It is the year 1958 here."

The demigods froze. Hey all slowly turned to the blonde, who had stopped glaring at Hera. "What?" she said in a weak voice looking at Athena.

"I think now would be a great time to introduce ourselves," the punk looking one said. She stepped up and bowed,"Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, Lieutenant of Artemis, and Hero of Olympus." Glares were thrown at the Zeus.

Another boy stepped up, "Jason Grace, Son of Jupiter, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion, One of Seven," He said. Some of the god's forms flickered, but most stayed the same. Cue more glares at Zeus.

"What is a Roman doing with a bunch of Greeks," Athena wondered out loud. Some glares wore thrown at Hera.

"The future is pretty messed up,"

Another boy stepped up. He was wearing all black, a skull ring, a giant black sword was strapped to his side, and he was very pale. "Nico Di Angelo, Son of Hades, Ghost king, Hero of Olympus." He said.

"HADES!" Zeus screamed.

"Really, you're yelling at him when you have two of your kids in the room. The boy was right, you are a hypocrite," Poseidon said calmly.

"Um, I was born before the oath. I lived in the Lotus Hotel for around seventy years," Nico said nervously. Thalia on the other hand looked pissed.

"And there is my loving father, telling Hades to kill you. At least Hades has a heart," she said her voice cold and hard as she glared at her father, silently daring him to say anything. He remained silent.

A girl with brown, choppy hair and kaleidoscope eyes stepped up next. She looked like she was trying to down play her beauty, which wasn't working. "Piper McLean, Daughter of Aphrodite, Charmspeaker, One of Seven," She said, her voice sounding like music.

"Leo Valdez, Son of Hephaestus, fire user, One of Seven," said a short, elfish looking boy. Just it piss of Piper, Leo set his hand on fire and poked her.

"LEO!" she jumped five feet in the air and screamed. Leo didn't answer; he was too busy and laughing.

"Piper, you ok?" Nico asked.

Piper looked at her arm and winced. There was no visible burn, but her shirt was burned. "What the hell?" she questioned.

"Piper, I made it hot to annoy you; I didn't burn you. I'm not that mean, relax," Leo said, aware that all of the gods were staring at him. Piper was just looking at her arm. Apollo got up and walked over to her. He took her arm and looked at it.

"There are no burns on your arm," he stated. "That's amazing."

"Anyway, who are the others," Ares grumbled. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Oracle of Delphi," said the red headed girl. Her clothes were covered in paint spatters and her eyes were changing colors.

"YA! MY ORACLE GETS A NEW BODY! WHOOOOOOO!" screamed Apollo as he jumped on his throne. Rachel blushed at his reaction.

The last girl stepped up. She glanced back at Thalia and the huntress nodded reassuringly. She turned back to the gods and bowed. "Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena, Official Architect of Olympus, One of Seven, Hero of Olympus," she said, but most gods could see the sadness in her eyes, she had very little pride in her voice. She just looked at the ground as she talked. Then she walked back to stand next to Thalia and Piper.

A note fell of Demeter's lap and she read it out loud. "Please don't ask the demigods about anything that has happened in the future. It cannot be changed and you cannot hurt my favorite demigods. Now you shall start reading the books, and when you finish one, the next one shall be waiting. And demigods, please try not to give anything way, they will find out in the books. From Apollo and the Fates" she read. Everyone looked at Apollo who had stopped cheering and was sitting in his throne.

"What? That's future me, not me, me. So stop staring at me, its creepy," Apollo said after a minute of staring.

"What books?" questioned Annabeth.

"They are about some demigod named Percy Jackson, do you all know him?"

Every demigod and the Oracle froze at the name. They all looked over at Annabeth who was frozen in her spot. "Um, can I just talk to Nico and Annabeth for a second? Be right back," Thalia said as she and Nico dragged Annabeth out of the throne room. You could see on Annabeth's face that she was thinking hard, her brain moving a million miles a minute. They wall walked out of the throne room. You could hear their footsteps echoing off the walls of the room. As soon as the doors shut every god looked at the remaining four children.

"So you know him?" questioned Athena.

"I can honestly say, I've never met Percy Jackson before," Jason answered.

"There are no lies in his words. He is telling the truth; I would know," Apollo commented, looking at Jason, Piper, Leo, and Rachel funny.

Then they heard a crash, and someone scream. The throne room doors opened and Annabeth stomped in and walked over to Rachel and whispered in her ear. Rachel nodded slowly and smiled. Then Thalia and Nico walked back in. Nico was holding his face and Thalia was holding back her laughter. "Annabeth that was awesome!" she laughed.

Annabeth almost cracked a smile, but didn't say anything.

"What happened?" Hades said, looking at his son, who was trying not to let the blood drip.

"Well, Nico said the wrong thing that pissed off Annabeth and she punched him in the face… a couple times," she laughed.

Apollo walked over laughing and gave Nico a glass. "Drink up, unless you enjoy bleeding out of your head."

"ANYWAY!" Zeus screamed. "Can we just start the books? I want to get this over with." He summoned some couches for their children to sit on.

"I'll read first," Annabeth said taking the book from Hermes. "I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher,"

~So that's it for this chapter. Comment and Review down there and tell me what you think. Ok, well by for now.

Grace_Elizabeth


	2. Chapter 1

**Ok, so here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. Remember, please give me feed back, I love to read it. And the amount of follows I had on this so far had me shocked and really grateful. So, without further ado here is the second chapter!**

_**Chapter Two: I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher**_

"**I accidentally vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher"**

"Are all the chapters going to be that weird," Apollo asked.

"I hope!" said Hermes

"Knowing Percy, yes," laughed Nico. His nose stopped bleeding along with his lip.

"I thought you said you've never met Percy?" questioned Athena.

"I haven't, I never said anything about them," Jason answered.

"A lie, but not a lie, I like it," Hermes laughed

"I agree with Hermes, he seems ok," said a smiling Apollo.

Some Olympians nodded, but most seemed motionless.

**Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. **

"No one does kelp head," commented Thalia.

The gods looked at them funny, _was it really that bad?_

**If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is:**

"DUCK IN COVER EVERYONE! STOP DROP AND ROLL! HIDE!" yelled Thalia and Nico, who dove behind the couch. Everyone looked at them funny and Annabeth giggled.

Jason, Piper, and Leo looked at her confused. Thalia, on the other hand, poked her head up and jumped over the couch next to Annabeth. "That's my girl. See that's what a smile is. Come on," she laughed, but was ecstatic to have Annabeth smile again.

"Shut up," Annabeth smiled and blushed, embarrassed of the attention she was getting. Nico poked his head up and laughed at her too. They looked like one happy family.

All the gods looked at the child of Athena and wondered what had happened to her to make her so sad.

**Close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life. Being a half-blood is dangerous. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.**

"Ok, that's, not the worst advice he's ever given," Thalia said thoughtfully.

"What the worst?" Hermes asked excitedly.

"Hmmm, probably when he said the Stolls should do inspection as a punishment," Nico said thinking.

"Why were they being punished?" Demeter asked

"They raided everyone's cabins and used everything they found to prank everyone."

"What happened after they inspected the cabins," Apollo asked eagerly.

"Let's just say we had to hold Percy back from running them through with his sword," Rachel laughed.

"Who's kids?" Hera asked.

"Three guess to whose kids raided all the cabins and pranked everyone?" Nico said sarcastically.

Every god said in unison "Hermes."

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner."

**If you're a normal kid, reading this because you think it's fiction, great. Read on. I envy you for being able to believe that none of this ever happened. , but if you recognize yourself in these pages-if you feel something stirring inside-stop reading immediately. You might be one of us. And once you know that, it's only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they'll come for you.**

"He makes it sound like the CIA is coming for you,' Leo said just before Piper slapped him on the back of the head. "OW!"

**Don't say I didn't warn you.**

"You didn't," Nico said, just before getting shocked by Thalia.

"Whoops."

**My name is Percy Jackson.**

"No, it's Annabeth Chase," Leo said.

Annabeth glared at him, he whimpered and hid behind Piper.

**I'm twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.**

**Am I a troubled kid?**

Three shouts of "YES!" came from Nico, Thalia and Rachel. Annabeth smiled and continued.

**Yeah. You could that. **

"See, he agrees with us," laughed Nico.

"Damn straight. If he doesn't then he's dumber than we thought," Thalia laughed.

"He isn't stupid," Defended Annabeth, "Just slow sometimes." That caused Nico, Rachel and Thalia to laugh even more. It also earned some weird looks from the gods, _why was a daughter of Athena defending a Son of Poseidon._

**I could start at any point in my short miserable life to prove it,**

"Short?" questioned Hestia.

"Don't worry, he's alive," Annabeth said.

"We hope," muttered Thalia to Nico, earning a smack on the head.

**But things really started going bad last May, when our sixth-grade class took a field trip to Manhattan- twenty-eight mental-case kids and two teachers on a yellow school bus, heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff.**

"Oh. Fun!" commented Annabeth and Athena.

**I know-it sounds like torture.**

That made the demigods and gods crack up. Athena glared at the book. Even Annabeth smiled. _Oh seaweed brain._

Aphrodite perked up when she felt a huge pulse of love coming from the demigods. _Ooo, someone's crushing on the hero, but who? _She thought. _Not Rachel, she's the oracle, no dating sadly. Not Thalia, she loves him, but in that way and she's a huntress. That leaves my daughter and Athena's. I'm going to have to pay better attention. _She thought sitting up in straighter her throne. No one noticed her change.

**Most Yancy field trips were. But Mr. Brunner, our Latin teacher, was leading this trip, so I had hopes. Mr. Brunner was this middle-aged guy in a motorized wheelchair. He had thinning hair and a scruffy beard and a frayed tweed jacket, which always smelled like coffee.**

"That sounds like Chiron, is it?" Piper asked.

Annabeth nodded her head. "Camp was so weird while he was gone at school with Percy. It seemed empty. It was just the campers and Mr. D."

Mr. D woke up at the sound of his name. "Go away you brats," he yelled half awake. He opened his eyes and realized where he was, in the throne room with the gods either laughing or glaring at him, some both (Poseidon, Apollo, Aphrodite). "Continue child."

**You wouldn't think he'd be cool, but he told stories and jokes and let us play games in class. He also had this awesome collection of Roman armor and weapons, so he was the only teacher whose class didn't put me to sleep. I hoped the trip would be okay. At least, I hoped that for once I wouldn't get in trouble.**

"Like That will EVER happen. If Percy doesn't cause it, it finds him." Thalia laughed. Jason and Piper looked at each other, _what did Percy do at camp? _No one would tell them because whenever they asked, the other campers got sad and just said he was a hero.

Jason got thinking _he probably didn't do anything. Well, not as much as me. He doesn't seem like much._

**Boy was I wrong.**

"Of course you were seaweed brain," Annabeth said. Thalia and Nico shared a look and grinned. They were getting the old Annabeth back. It was good. They didn't like to see her so depressed and sad. It's worse than when they thought he was dead last year.

**See, bad things happen to me on field trips. Like at my fifth-grade school, when we went to the Saratoga battlefield, I had this accident with a Revolutionary War cannon. I wasn't aiming for the school bus, but of course I got expelled anyway.**

… Every god and kid burst out laughing.

It took a whole five minutes before they could breathe again. Even Annabeth laughed a little, but just thinking about her stupid boyfriend made her sad. She tried not to show it, but Piper and Leo noticed. Jason didn't laugh either, he was thinking too hard. _This guy is an idiot, how was he a hero?_

**And before that, at my fourth-grade school, when we took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Marine World shark pool, I sort of hit the wrong lever on the catwalk and our class took an unplanned swim.**

Again a pause, then the laughter was even louder than before. Annabeth was laughing along with them. She couldn't help it; Percy's mess ups were funny. Apollo and Hermes and, surprisingly, Poseidon were on the floor clutching their stomachs, trying but failing to breath. Nico and Leo looked like they were going to pass out.

_This guy sounds like a loser, why does everyone at camp worship him. He probably didn't do anything, just took credit for other peoples victories. So pathetic, _Jason thought. He laughing, but he was laughing at Percy, not his mess up.

**And the time before that… Well, you get the point. **

"Noooo, I wanted to hear more!" Hermes companied.

"Maybe the young hero is a son of Hermes," Hera said.

The demigods (Thalia, Nico, Annabeth, Rachel) glanced at each other, than looked away. They all were thinking the same thing, _Luke was a child of Hermes, what is he going to say._

"THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!" he yelled. "He sounds awesome. I like him."

**This trip, I was determined to be good.**

"Ya, and that's going to work so well," Annabeth said sarcastically, but her heart wasn't in it. Piper and Leo glanced at each other, than Annabeth, she looked even more depressed then at Camp.

Athena noticed, and was worried about her. _What has happened to my daughter to make her like this?_

**All the way into the city, I put up with Nancy Bobofit, the freckly, redheaded kleptomaniac girl, hitting my best friend Grover in the back of the head with chunks of peanut butter-and-ketchup sandwich**

"Eww," said Aphrodite and her daughter. Piper blushed and hid her face in her hands. Leo laughed, "You really are her daughter Beauty Queen."

"Shut up Repair Boy," she said while punching him

"Oww, you have got to be the strongest daughter of Aphrodite ever," he complained.

Piper blushed at his compliment, "Shut up repair boy," she muttered.

Her mom was holding back a squeal. She had big plans for her daughter's love life. _Maybe Piper wasn't intoPercy. That only leaves… _The said goddess gasped and squealed. "No way!" Everyone looked at her funny, but after a second ignored her and looked towards Annabeth for her to continue.

**Grover was an easy target. He was scrawny. He cried when he got frustrated. He must've been held back several grades, because he was the only sixth grader with acne and the start of a wispy beard on his chin. On top of all that, he was crippled.**

"I don't think Grover would like that description," Leo said. Queue a slap from Piper.

"It's kind true, Piper," Nico said. "But Grover is so much cooler now," He laughed.

**He had a note excusing him from PE for the rest of his life because he had some kind of muscular disease in his legs. He walked funny, like every step hurt him, but don't let that fool you.**

"Goat boy can run fast, remember when Juniper saw him after he went missing," Annabeth remembered. "She was pissed." She was laughing at the memory, genuinely laughing. All demigods smiled and were super happy she was happy for the first time in a while.

**You should've seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.**

"Way to blow your cover Grover," Thalia muttered.

The gods were so confused. What was going to happen, and why was Chiron at Percy's school? Why were all the demigods but those three laughing at him, and when does Apollo's new Oracle come in to this?

**Anyway, Nancy Bobofit was throwing wads of sandwich that stuck in his curly brown hair, and she knew I couldn't do anything back to her because I was already on probation.**

"I wonder what he did," Piper asked. She was very curious about Percy. She heard how great he was, but no one told them what he did. She really wanted to find out more, he seemed interesting.

**The headmaster had threatened me with death**

"WHAT?!" came four screams, Annabeth's the loudest. She looked at the book again and then said, "Oh."

**By in-school suspension if anything bad, embarrassing, or even mildly entertaining happened on this trip.**

"Oh," said the other three while being laughed at by gods and demigods.

Then, Hermes said, "Mildly entertaining?"

That caused more laughing.

**Grover tried to calm me down. "It's okay. I like peanut butter." He dodged another piece of Nancy's lunch.**

"Not as much as Tyson," laughed Annabeth. She seemed to be getting better.

"PEANUTBUTTER!" R.N.T. (that's what I'm going to call Rachel, Nico and Thalia when I talk about them like this from now on) screamed while cracking up.

Everyone else looked so confused.

**"That's it." I started to get up, but Grover pulled me back to my seat.**

"WOAH, HE STOPPED THE PERCY!" Nico yelled.

The gods looked at Nico.

"When someone picks on Percy's friends or family, he gets really mad and turns into kick-ass Percy," Rachel answered the looks. Some nodded, most laughed, but Athena was deep in thought. _He is super protective of his friends, is turns into this 'kick-ass Percy', he doesn't sound like a son of Hermes._

**You're already on probation," he reminded me."You know who'll get blamed if anything happens."**

**Looking back on it, I wish I'd decked Nancy Bobofit right then and there. In-school suspension would've been nothing compared to the mess I was about to get myself into. **

Some gods looked worried; they already liked the young demigod. Jason, Piper, and Leo looked at each other, still confused.

**Mr. Brunner led the museum tour. He rode up front in his wheelchair, guiding us through the big echoey galleries, past marble statues and glass cases full of really old black-and-orange pottery. It blew my mind that this stuff had survived for two thousand, three thousand years.**

"Longer," Athena answered instantly, not even registering she was talking to a book.

"You know you're talking to a book, bird-brain," Poseidon laughed. Athena threw him a glare that made him shut up right away.

**He gathered us around a thirteen-foot-tall stone column with a big sphinx on the top, and started telling us how it was a grave marker, a stele, for a girl about our age. He told us about the carvings on the sides. I was trying to listen to what he had to say, because it was kind of interesting,**

A collective gasp came from R.N.T. "He wanted to listen… to a teacher… to learn…" Thalia said

"He listens to teachers now, right Per-," she turned and froze. She forgot for a second Percy wasn't there. Everyone looked at her.

After a few seconds, Nico interrupted the silence, "He didn't tell me about this, how about we keep reading."

But Annabeth didn't move she was frozen in her spot. Thalia walked over to her and put an arm around her. Nico slid the book out of her hands, "How about I finish this chapter."

But all the gods were still looking at Annabeth, who was now crying in Thalia's shoulder.

_What had happened to Percy? They said he was alive, right?_Zeus thought. He looked at Athena, but even she had no ideas.

**But everybody around me was talking, and every time I told them to shut up, the other teacher chaperone, Mrs. Dodds, would give me the evil eye. **

**Mrs. Dodds was this little math teacher from Georgia who always wore a black leather jacket, even though she was fifty years old. She looked mean enough to ride a Harley right into your locker. She had come to Yancy halfway through the year, when our last math teacher had a nervous breakdown.**

_Why does she sound so familiar? _Hades thought.

Nico gasped and looked at Thalia for confirmation. She frowned and nodded. _Holy Shit! And he's still alive? Man he has good/bad luck._

**From her first day, Mrs. Dodds loved Nancy Bobofit and figured I was devil spawn.**

Thalia looked at Nico, and both smirked, like they had some inside joke, but neither said anything.

**She would point her crooked finger at me and say, "Now, honey," real sweet, and I knew I was going to get after-school detention for a month.**

_No way, why did I send Alecto after this boy? _Hades thought.

**One time, after she'd made me erase answers out of old math workbooks until midnight, I told Grover I didn't think Mrs. Dodds was human. He looked at me, real serious, and said, "You're absolutely right."**

"Stupid Satyr," grumbled Dionysus.

"Hey! Grover is the best satyr you've got, so don't say anything. He is the best goat-man-dude ever!" Rachel yelled. She and Grover have grown super close ever since Percy disappeared and she didn't want some stupid old drunk insulting him.

**Mr. Brunner kept talking about Greek funeral art. Finally, Nancy Bobofit snickered something about the naked guy on the stele, and I turned around and said, "Will you shut up?"**

A couple people smirked, but no one laughed, they were all still comforting or confused about Annabeth.

**It came out louder than I meant it to.**

"Of course it did you Seaweed Brain," mumbled Annabeth into Thalia's shoulder. Thalia started rubbing her back comfortingly silently telling Nico to continue.

**The whole group laughed. Mr. Brunner stopped his story. "Mr. Jackson," he said, "did you have a comment?"**

"Nope" Nico smirked

**My face was totally red. I said, "No, sir."**

**Mr. Brunner pointed to one of the pictures on the stele. "Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?"**

"Like he would know," Jason laughed, but it sounded mean, not joking. _I'll have to talk to him later, _Thalia thought.

**I looked at the carving, and felt a flush of relief, because I actually recognized it.**

R.N.T. gasped, "He knew it?" Nico whispered, "that's, that's… AMAZING!"

**"That's Kronos eating his kids, right?"**

"Of course it's that one." muttered Hera.

**"Yes," Mr. Brunner said, obviously not satisfied. "And he did this because …"**

"I bet ten drachma he answers it right," Annabeth mumbled quietly.

"Did Annabeth just make a bet?" Piper laughed.

"You're on!" Nico, Leo and Thalia said at the same time.

**"Well…" I racked my brain to remember. "Kronos was the king god, and-"**

"GOD!" boomed Zeus.

"He'll correct himself," whispered Annabeth.

**"God?" Mr. Brunner asked. **

"**Titan," I corrected myself.**

"See."

**"And … he didn't trust his kids, who were the gods. So, um, Kronos ate them, right? But his wife hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead. And later, when Zeus grew up, he tricked his dad, Kronos, into barfing up his brothers and sisters-"**

**"Eeew!" said one of the girls behind me.**

"Eww is right," muttered Demeter. "It was disgusting!"

**"-and so there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans," I continued, "and the gods won."**

"Did he just sum up the worst war in history into a couple sentences?" Asked Hades

The demigods nodded.

**Some snickers from the group.**

"Why, he got it right?" Athena said confused.

"I guess I won," Annabeth said, picking her head up off Thalia's shoulder and wiping away tears. The other demigods complained, but paid up.

**Behind me, Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend, "Like we're going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on our job applications, 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.'"**

"That would be awesome. One question I could get right!" Leo cheered.

**"And why, Mr. Jackson," Brunner said, "to paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"**

"Busted," Leo and Thalia said.

Nico smirked and read the next sentence.

"**Busted," Grover muttered**

"Oh No! I think like a goat!" Thalia screamed clutching her head. Annabeth chucked, Thalia's reaction was funny.

Thalia smiled at her best friend; at least she's getting betterish.

**"Shut up," Nancy hissed her face even brighter red than her hair.**

**At least Nancy got packed, too. Mr. Brunner was the only one who ever caught her saying anything wrong. He had radar ears.**

"Horse ears," said Rachel.

**I thought about his question, and shrugged. "I don't know, sir."**

"Of course you don't," Jason said. Piper looked at him. _Why was he acting like this?_

Annabeth, on the other hand, glared at him. She was pissed. _No one insults Seaweed _Brain _but me._

**"I see." Mr. Brunner looked disappointed."Well, half credit, Mr. Jackson. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan's stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld. On that happy note, it's time for lunch. Mrs. Dodds, would you lead us back outside?"**

"He really sucks at changing the subject, doesn't he?" Hermes said. "I need to teach him some tricks."

"While you're at it, show Grover how to lie," Rachel laughed.

"He is horrible," said Thalia.

**The class drifted off, the girls holding their stomachs, the guys pushing each other around and acting like doofuses.**

"What else is new," Artemis commented.

"Actually, that's not completely true," Thalia said. "You think differently of Percy."

Artemis looked puzzled. _All men are the same, why does my huntress think that these boys are ok, how is she my lieutenant?_

**Grover and I were about to follow when Mr. Brunner said, "Mr. Jackson." I knew that was coming.**

"IS PERCY PHYCIC?!" Leo screamed.

"No," Annabeth said, her voice deadpanned.

**I told Grover to keep going. Then I turned toward Mr. Brunner. "Sir?"**

**Mr. Brunner had this look that wouldn't let you go- intense brown eyes that could've been a thousand years old and had seen everything.**

"He really is observant," Athena said. Nico, Thalia and Rachel smirked at each other, she gave Percy a compliment_. I wonder what's going to happen when she finds out about Percabeth,_ Rachel thought.

**"You must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Brunner told me.**

**"About the Titans?"**

Thalia face palmed, "Just when I thought he wasn't a complete idiot."

**"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."**

**"Oh."**

"Oh, that's all he could say. He needs to eat more cereal," said Demeter, while Hades face palmed and Aphrodite smirked at her uncle.

**"What you learn from me," he said, "is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson."**

**I wanted to get angry; this guy pushed me so hard.**

"Now he doesn't mind though."

**I mean, sure, it was kind of cool on tournament days, when he dressed up in a suit of Roman armor and shouted: "What ho!'" and challenged us, sword-point against chalk, to run to the board and name every Greek and Roman person who had ever lived, and their mother, and what god they worshipped.**

"Why did Chiron have Roman armor?" Nico asked.

"It was, probably Greek, but he just said Roman," Annabeth muttered.

**But Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everybody else, despite the fact that I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder and I had never made above a C- in my life. No-he didn't expect me to be as good; he expected me to be better. And I just couldn't learn all those names and facts, much less spell them correctly.**

"Spelling everything is hard," said Annabeth. R.N.T. gasped.

"But your Annabeth, how can you not spell, you know everything?" Nico said with mock amazement.

"You're not the only dyslexic at came death breath," she glared. Every demigod/Oracle gasped, they forgot she was dyslexic.

**I mumbled something about trying harder, while Mr. Brunner took one long sad look at the stele, like he'd been at this girl's funeral.**

"He probably was," Dionysus said. Everyone turned to look at him, they forgot he was here.

**He told me to go outside and eat my lunch.**

Apollo, Hermes, Nico and Leo groaned at the mention of food, they were so hungry.

**The class gathered on the front steps of the museum, where we could watch the foot traffic along Fifth Avenue.**

**Overhead, a huge storm was brewing, with clouds blacker than I'd ever seen over the city. I figured maybe it was global warming or something, because the weather all across New York State had been weird since Christmas.**

"I wonder what you are so upset about," Hestia said. Her brother could be such a drama queen.

**We'd had massive snow storms, flooding, and wildfires from lightning strikes. I wouldn't have been surprised if this was a hurricane blowing in.**

All the gods glanced at the two brothers. Athena's mind was moving, trying to figure out what happened. _What can they be so mad about? What does the boy have to do with this? The Lightning Thief, _she gasped, _someone stole father's lightning bolt._

**Nobody else seemed to notice. Some of the guys were pelting pigeons with Lunchables crackers. Nancy Bobofit was trying to pickpocket something from a lady's purse, and, of course, Mrs. Dodds wasn't seeing a thing.**

**Grover and I sat on the edge of the fountain, away from the others. We thought that maybe if we did that, everybody wouldn't know we were from that school-the school for loser freaks who couldn't make it elsewhere.**

**"Detention?" Grover asked.**

**"Nah," I said. "Not from Brunner. I just wish he'd lay off me sometimes. I mean-I'm not a genius."**

"No truer words have ever been spoken," Thalia laughed at her cousin. He could be such a kelp-head sometimes.

**Grover didn't say anything for a while. Then, when I thought he was going to give me some deep philosophical comment to make me feel better, he said, "Can I have your apple."**

A couple kids and some immature gods (*cough* Hermes *cough* Apollo *cough*) laughed at this.

**I didn't have much of an appetite, so I let him take it.**

"Percy, not have an appetite, something's wrong," R.N.T. gasped.

**I watched the stream of cabs going down Fifth Avenue, and thought about my mom's apartment, only a little ways uptown from where we sat. I hadn't seen her since Christmas. I wanted so bad to jump in a taxi and head home. She'd hug me and be glad to see me, but she'd be disappointed, too. She'd send me right back to Yancy, remind me that I had to try harder, even if this was my sixth school in six years**

"What?!" yelled Athena. "Does he just CHOOSE not to learn?!"

**and I was probably going to be kicked out again. I wouldn't be able to stand that sad look she'd give me.**

**Mr. Brunner parked his wheelchair at the base of the handicapped ramp. He ate celery while he read a paperback novel. A red umbrella stuck up from the back of his chair, making it look like a motorized café table**

"That would be SO cool, I am going to make one, and it would have awesome balance, like it would float so you wouldn't spill your food. Also, it would have to have cup and plate like at camp that never runs out of food. So if you want to go out for dinner, you never have to get out of your seat!" said Leo. He pulled out paper from his tool belt and started sketching his ideas. His dad beamed at him, proud of what his son could do.

**I was about to unwrap my sandwich when Nancy Bobofit appeared in front of me with her ugly friends-I guess she'd gotten tired of stealing from the tourists-and dumped her half-eaten lunch in Grover's lap.**

"Eww!" shrieked the goddess of love.

"How are we related?" muttered Piper. Leo laughed at her and went back to his motorized café table.

**"Oops." She grinned at me with her crooked teeth. Her freckles were orange, as if somebody had spray-painted her face with liquid Cheetos.**

"She needs a make-over," Aphrodite said.

**I tried to stay cool. The school counselor had told me a million times, "Count to ten, get control of your temper." But I was so mad my mind went blank. A wave roared in my ears**

Athena glanced at Poseidon, who wasn't playing attention at all. He was busy playing with a jelly fish.

**I don't remember touching her, but the next thing I knew, Nancy was sitting on her butt in the fountain, screaming, "Percy pushed me!" Mrs. Dodds materialized next to us.**

**Some of the kids were whispering: "Did you see-"**

**"-the water-"**

**"-like it grabbed her-"**

**I didn't know what they were talking about. All I knew was that I was in trouble again.**

"You always are Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said lovingly. Athena thought about this. _She seems pretty attached to the boy, but he better not be who I think he is. No daughter of mine will be dating that kelp heads son._

"Ok, now just tell us, is he a son of Poseidon?" sighed Hades. He was getting annoyed with these children and books.

The demigods looked at each other then sighed. "Yes."

"Oh ok, cool. I have a son," said Poseidon. The demigods were confused, wondering why Poseidon really didn't care about his son. Zeus on the other hand was fuming, but didn't comment under Thalia's glare.

**As soon as Mrs. Dodds was sure poor little Nancy was okay, promising to get her a new shirt at the museum gift shop, etc., etc., Mrs. Dodds turned on me. There was a triumphant fire in her eyes, as if I'd done something she'd been waiting for all semester. "Now, honey-"**

"She sure does sound familiar," Nico said out loud. Thalia looked at him funny.

"Why would you recognize his math teacher?"

**"I know," I grumbled. "A month erasing workbooks."**

"NEVER GUESS YOUR PUNISHMENT!" screamed Hermes

"If he's mad about that, what's he going to say when he finds out about Luke?" Nico muttered to Thalia.

**That wasn't the right thing to say.**

"Shocker," said Hermes sarcastically.

**"Come with me," Mrs. Dodds said.**

**"Wait!" Grover yelped. "It was me. I pushed her."**

"Brave Goat," Dionysius said.

**I stared at him, stunned. I couldn't believe he was trying to cover for me. Mrs. Dodds scared Grover to death.**

**She glared at him so hard his whiskery chin trembled.**

**"I don't think so, Mr. Underwood," she said.**

**"But-"**

**"You-will-stay-here."**

"Ooo, action time!" Ares said, sitting up a little straighter, this book was getting boring.

**Grover looked at me desperately.**

**"It's okay, man," I told him. "Thanks for trying."**

**"Honey," Mrs. Dodds barked at me. "Now."**

"I swear I've met her before," Nico muttered, deep in thought.

**Nancy Bobofit smirked.**

**I gave her my deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare.**

A couple demigods shuddered at that. "He literally killed a monster by glaring at it before," grinned Annabeth, proud of her seaweed brained boyfriend.

"You're only smiling because you've never been on the other end of one of his glares," groaned Thalia.

"It's your fault for screaming at him, you know he would win that fight."

"That only because he is invincible now," Said Thalia, 'Stupid curse.' The crossed her arms, muttering the last part.

**Then I turned to face Mrs. Dodds, but she wasn't there. She was standing at the museum entrance, way at the top of the steps, gesturing impatiently at me to come on.**

**How'd she get there so fast?**

"Monster," Apollo said in a sing-songy voice.

**I have moments like that a lot, when my brain falls asleep or something, and the next thing I know I've missed something, as if a puzzle piece fell out of the universe and left me staring at the blank place behind it. The school counselor told me this was part of the ADHD, my brain misinterpreting things.**

**I wasn't so sure.**

"Good instincts," Artemis said.

Apollo put his hand over is heart and acted like he had a heart attack. "You just complimented a boy, a boy," He gasped, repeating the end as if she had not heard him the first time. Artemis just rolled her eyes and waved Annabeth to continue.

**I went after Mrs. Dodds.**

"Idiot," Nico and Thalia said at the same time.

**Halfway up the steps, I glanced back at Grover. He was looking pale, cutting his eyes between me and Mr. Brunner, like he wanted Mr. Brunner to notice what was going on, but Mr. Brunner was absorbed in his novel.**

"Really dude, he doesn't notice a thing," Leo laughed, finishing up his plans.

"Son, when you're done, can I see those plans?" His dad said.

"Sure!" Leo exclaimed happily. _My dad actually wants to see my design; I need to make this one perfect. In the future maybe I can show him the ship; he will sure be impressed by that! _ The son of Hephaestus thought.

**I looked back up. Mrs. Dodds had disappeared again. She was now inside the building, at the end of the entrance hall.**

**Okay, I thought. She's going to make me buy a new shirt for Nancy at the gift shop.**

"If only."

**But apparently that wasn't the plan.**

**I followed her deeper into the museum. When I finally caught up to her, we were back in the Greek and Roman section.**

**Except for us, the gallery was empty.**

"Wow, a monster got Percy all alone in a museum and Percy kills him, I wonder how this happens? He never told me," Rachel said.

**Mrs. Dodds stood with her arms crossed in front of a big marble frieze of the Greek gods. She was making this weird noise in her throat, like growling.**

**Even without the noise, I would've been nervous. It's weird being alone with a teacher, especially Mrs. Dodds. Something about the way she looked at the frieze, as if she wanted to pulverize it…**

**"You've been giving us problems, honey," she said.**

**I did the safe thing. I said, "Yes, ma'am."**

"He has manners," Jason said shocked. From what he heard, Percy had a huge attitude, and his ego matched.

**She tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket."Did you really think you would get away with it?"**

**The look in her eyes was beyond mad. It was evil.**

**She's a teacher, I thought nervously. It's not like she's going to hurt me.**

"YA, she's just a teacher, she won't hurt you," mocked Thalia.

**I said, "I'll-I'll try harder, ma'am."**

**Thunder shook the building.**

"Over dramatic," Sang Apollo.

**"We are not fools, Percy Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain."**

**I didn't know what she was talking about.**

"Shocker," Jason said, but meanly, not jokingly. Piper noticed, but didn't comment.

**All I could think of was that the teachers must've found the illegal stash of candy I'd been selling out of my dorm room.**

'Maybe he is my kid, 'cause he's AWESOME!" Hermes cheered. This made the kids crack up.

**Or maybe they'd realized I got my essay on Tom Sawyer from the Internet without ever reading the book and now they were going to take away my grade. Or worse, they were going to make me read the book.**

"**Well?" she demanded.**

"**Ma'am, I don't…"**

"**Your time is up," she hissed.**

**Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow like barbecue coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings. She wasn't human. She was a shriveled hag with bat wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs, and she was about to slice me to ribbons.**

"A Fury?!" The gods sputtered.

"How is this kid not dead?" Hades sputtered.

"The kid's got skills," Ares complimented.

"Oh. My. Gods." R.N.T. said together. "Did Ares just give Percy a compliment?" Annabeth said.

"Ya, what about it?" Ares growled.

"Nothing," They said simultaneously. Annabeth started reading before they could ask any more questions.

**Then things got even stranger.**

"Ok, how is that even possible?" Piper said. _This kid's got a weird life._

**Mr. Brunner, who'd been out in front of the museum a minute before, wheeled his chair into the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen in his hand.**

"A pen?!" Everyone who didn't know Percy said.

"Yup," said Nico, Annabeth, Thalia, and Rachel said with no more explanation. Everyone else look confused.

**"What ho, Percy!" he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air.**

A couple people snickered at this.

**Mrs. Dodds lunged at me.**

**With a yelp, I dodged and felt talons slash the air next to my ear. I snatched the ballpoint pen out of the air, but when it hit my hand, it wasn't a pen anymore. It was a sword-Mr. Brunner's bronze sword, which he always used on tournament day.**

"Whoa, that's way cooler than your coin Jason!" cheered Leo. Piper smacked him in the head smirking.

"Go back to your doodles Repair Boy," Piper said.

"Shut up Beauty Queen," said Leo going back to his plans, he was almost done.

**Mrs. Dodds spun toward me with a murderous look in her eyes.**

**My knees were jelly. My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped the sword.**

"Pathetic," muttered Jason. _This was the hero the whole camp worshiped_.

**She snarled, "Die, honey!"**

"Really, I don't get why Alecto says that," Nico said thoughtfully.

"Don't ask me, she is just weird," Hades replied.

**And she flew straight at me. Absolute terror ran through my body. I did the only thing that came naturally: I swung the sword.**

"How is that natural?" Leo said.

"For Percy it is. He is the best swordsman in the last 300 years," Thalia said. Jason glared at the book, _obviously I can bet him, he sounds pathetic. _

**The metal blade hit her shoulder and passed clean through her body as if she were made of water. Hiss!**

"A TWELVE YEAR-OLD KILLED MY FURY!" screamed Hades.

"Relax, Dad. Don't worry, I guess this is why Alecto hates Percy," Nico laughed.

**Mrs. Dodds was a sand castle in a power fan. She exploded into yellow powder, vaporized on the spot, leaving nothing but the smell of sulfur and a dying screech and a chill of evil in the air, as if those two glowing red eyes were still watching me.**

"Creepy," Apollo commented**.**

**I was alone.**

**There was a ballpoint pen in my hand.**

**Mr. Brunner wasn't there.**

**Nobody was there but me.**

"We get it, you're alone. Moving on…" Jason moaned.

Annabeth glared at him and Piper looked confused. _What was up with him?_

**My hands were still trembling. My lunch must've been contaminated with magic mushrooms or something.**

"Really Kelp-Head, magic mushrooms?" Thalia moaned jokingly.

**Had I imagined the whole thing?**

"Nope," Poseidon said casually. He was acting like e didn't care about his son, which confused the demigods.

**I went back outside. It had started to rain. Grover was sitting by the fountain, a museum map tented over his head. Nancy Bobofit was still standing there, soaked from her swim in the fountain, grumbling to her ugly friends. When she saw me, she said, "I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt."**

"Who?" everyone asked.

**I said, "Who?"**

"Ahh! We all think like Percy!" Nico cried, ducking in cover.

"**Our teacher. Duh!" **

**I blinked. We had no teacher named Mrs. Kerr. I asked Nancy what she was talking about. She just rolled her eyes and turned away.**

**I asked Grover where Mrs. Dodds was. He said, "Who?"**

**But he paused first, and he wouldn't look at me, so I thought he was messing with me**

"That goat can't lie," Dionysus said. He got some weird looks but Nico continued reading.

**"Not funny, man," I told him. "This is serious."**

**Thunder boomed overhead.**

"Apparently so is my dad," the huntress said sarcastically.

**I saw Mr. Brunner sitting under his red umbrella, reading his book, as if he'd never moved. I went over to him. He looked up, a little distracted. "Ah, that would be my pen. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mr. Jackson."**

"Now he can lie," laughed Apollo. "I remember this one time… OW!" yelled Apollo after being slapper by Hermes. Hermes gave him a pleading look, and Apollo shut up.

**I handed Mr. Brunner his pen. I hadn't even realized I was still holding it.**

"**Sir," I said, "where's Mrs. Dodds?"**

**He stared at me blankly. "Who?"**

**"The other chaperone, Mrs. Dodds. The pre-algebra teacher."**

**He frowned and sat forward, looking mildly concerned. "Percy, there is no Mrs. Dodds on this trip. As far as I know, there has never been a Mrs. Dodds at Yancy Academy. Are you feeling alright?"**

"Ok, that's it, who is reading next?" Nico said, glancing at Annabeth.

"I will," said Demeter.

**Ok, so next chapter I'm really excited about, a plot twister. So please tell me what you think and review. Please stay tuned for the next installment or reading throughout history. I apologize in advance for all my typos.**

**Peace Out FanFictioners,**

**~Grace Elizabeth**


	3. Chapter 2

**Okay, I am so sorry it took so long to update, I kept having to rewrite this characters entrance, nothing sounded right. Also, I was really sick and missed a lot of school so i had tons of homework and two projects. So today was a snow day so i had time to write and update. I'm all caught up now so hopefully ill be able to update more, I'm so sorry. So here is chapter three! (I fixed the bold parts like some people mentioned, thanks!)**

Chapter Three: Three Old Ladies Knit Socks of Death

"**Three Old Ladies Knit Socks of Death**" read Demeter.

"Um, socks of death?" questioned Hades. The demigods looked at Annabeth.

"I don't know, I don't think he mentioned this part," she mumbled, obviously still upset.

"Ahhhh!" A scream came from above and everyone looked up. Someone was falling from the ceiling, fast. Nico was the first to react. He jumped up, just in time to catch the person. The person cried out in pain when she hit his arms. The girl looked around wide-eyed. When she saw the arms holding her, she quickly turned her head around, and now facing Nico, elbowed him in the face. That caused Nico to drop her and when the hit the ground the rolled and crawled towards the wall. With her back against the was, The girl looked bugged eyed at everyone. "Who, who are you people?"

Everyone just sat there for a minute, not knowing what to say. Then Piper got up and walked towards the girl. "Don't be scared," Piper said, using all the charmspeak she could muster. "We aren't going to hurt you, relax." The girl's tense muscles visibly relaxed, but she didn't move from her spot. The demigods and gods took in her appearance, wondering who she was. She had long, straight, light brown hair flowing down her back. She had stunning, blue eyes, and a huge scratch across her cheek. Her face was red and blotchy, like she had been crying a lot, but she still looked beautiful. She looked like she was a shorter person, and was almost to skinny along with the cast on her left arm. She had on a Green Day t-shirt, much to Thalia's delight, and blue pajama pants covered in soccer balls. On her left foot she wore a black boot, on the other a purple cast. Her head was also wrapped with gauze and by the way she breathed, there were also some stitches and bruises under her shirt. She just sat there in silence, looking terrified.

Nico, while holding his bleeding face, saw all this and thought she was beautiful. His father, however, was thinking something different, why does this girl have an aura of death around her?

Rachel got up and started walking towards the girl. She wanted to find out who this was, and it was obvious she wasn't a demigod from Camp Half-Blood. "Hi, I'm Rachel, that is Piper. Why don't you tell us your name." Rachel spoke softly and calmly, hoping they would find out who this is.

The brunette shook her head, and tried to back away from the girls. "It's ok, we aren't going to hurt you. Why don't you tell us your name so we can have a proper conversation?" Piper said, forcing her charmspeak into her words.

"A- Alexis," the girl stuttered, looking wide eyes at the two girls looking down at her.

"Well Alexis, do you know what happened to bring you here? Where are you from?" Rachel asked, sounding kid and sincere.

"Why am I here, please don't hurt me," Alexis whispered. The gods looked at eachother, very confused. None of them recognized the girl, no one knew whose daughter she was.

"We are not going to hurt you Alexis, we are going to help you. Why don't you just tell us what you remember last," Piper suggested, hoping they would get clues to who this girl was.

"I was in the hospital, in the city. The doctor just walked out when the room got really bright. I thought I was dying. Am I dead?" She whispered to the two girls. They glanced at eachother.

"You're not dead Alexis, far from it. You are going to be perfectly fine. Here, why don't I help you to the couch," Piper offered, holding out her hand. Alexis just stared at it, like she didn't know what to do next.

"Who are you people? Where am I? What's going on?"

Rachel sighed, did she have to ask the hard questions? "Well, you're in New York City, these are my friends, and we are reading a book. Do you want to join us?"

The girl looked shocked. "Can't I just go back to the hospital? Ill have plenty of time to read while in there, I don't need to read a book with some creeps who kidnapped me." Alexis looked up at the girls and tried to get up by herself, only to fall back on the ground. From across the room you could hear a few people snicker.

Piper turned around and looked at them. "Really? You're laughing at her right now? You've never seen a hurt mortal before? You guys are jerks," Piper spat. Then she turned back to the girl on the ground. "Sorry, they're idiots. Here let me give you a hand," she said to Alexis. When she held out her hand, Alexis flinched away. After a second Alexis looked up at Piper and took her hand. Most people noticed her flinch. They were all wondering what happened to this girl, how she got such major injuries.

"Thanks," Alexis muttered, not looking anyone in the eyes. Just staring at the ground, wordlessly. She grabbed the hand and got pulled up, only to cry out in pain. Piper quickly put her back on the ground, not knowing what to do. "Sorry, tore muscle. I kinda forgot about it with everything else."

The gods looked at her with shocked expressions how could a girl like this get so hurt. She seemed so harmless and small. The demigods were looking at her in amazement and fear. They were amazed at her pain tolerance and how she was dealing with all her injuries. They were scared imagining everything that she was going through, how she got those injuries and who gave them to her.

"I guess I'll just stay on the floor. It's cool, I'm kinda used to it," Alexis said, fake smiling at everyone.

Apollo just shook his head, finally taking in all her injuries. He was doing an assessment in his head of how had we physical injuries were and it was pretty bad. He scooped her up, ignoring her flinching and places her on the couch. "A girl a beautiful as you shouldn't be sitting on the floor. Want me to look at those injuries?"

Alexis looked up at him, then shook her head. "No, I have to wait for Kevin." She got some questioning looks so she gave them one last piece of information. "Kevin is my doctor. Apparently I'm special so I can only go to him. I guess that's what happens to people like me," Alexis said, mumbling the last part to herself.

The demigods looked at each other, not knowing what she meant by special.

"So I guess I'm not going anywhere for a while?" Alexis asked. She got her answer from the looks in people's faces. She nodded then sighed. "Okay, what book are we reading then?" She said, sounding exhausted and maybe a little scared still. Most of her scared looked like it was going away. Or maybe she was just good at hiding it.

Rachel smiled and looked at her. "You might not have heard of it. It's called Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief." Right after she said that, you could see Alexis grow a little smile, which kept getting bigger. "So you've heard of it?"

Alexis smiled for a second more then answered. "Ya, of course I have. You don't not hear about a best seller. I've been in and out of the hospital for months, not a great way to keep friends. So I've read way too many books. But the characters never go away, know what I mean. They're always there." Alexis smiled again then masked her smile, going back to her rock hard expression.

"Well, then I have some good news," Piper said, glancing around the room to see if anyone was going to stop her. "What if I told you the books were real?"

Alexis looked at her then laughed. "I would check you into the hospital bed next to mine. Trust me, they aren't. There haven't been any big battles in New York, no moving statues, no huge battles in California or Alaska, none of that. My little brother still thinks better real after we read them together, but he's five."

Piper looked at her confused. "Well they are. I'm Piper McLean, from the books. That's Rachel Elizabeth Dare, our oracle. Those are the gods. It's all real Alexis, every word if those books happened."

Alexis looked at Piper, then to the gods. Looking between gods, she frowned. "You people are crazy. Kidnapping hospital patients, believing fictional books are real, what's next is Bigfoot here too?" She said, rolling her eyes and trying to get up. She felt back down and groaned in pain.

"You think we aren't real mortal?!" Thundered Zeus, disgusted that this mortal thinks she's better than him. He could see why someone wanted to hurt her, he felt like zapping we for gods sake.

"I think you are really confused people who don't know what's going on. Maybe you need some help, like therapy. I had share of that and it isn't too bad," Alexis said, causing Leo and Nico to collapse in a fit of laughter. They were so busily laughing that they didn't realize that Zeus had picked up his bolt.

"Do you want to call me fake now, petty mortal!?" Zeus said, thunder booming behind him. Lightning crackled off his bolt, giving him the perfect all-powerful over dramatic look. Alexis widened her eyes and gasped, realizing they were real. She could feel the power radiating off the god as he got angry, she could see the flare in his eyes as he controlled the thunder. She had her mouth sided open, in shock as she looked at Zeus. Then she glanced around at the other gods. Then she looked at Rachel and Piper. She backed up and looked at them, eyes wide with fear since realizing who they were.

"So you're Piper, and you're really Rachel?" Alexis asked, in complete shock.

"Yup, I'm Piper and I just got back from a quest with Jason and Leo, but you already knew that I guess." She said, smiling down at Alexis hoping to get a good reaction from her. The next look she the ever surprised her.

Alexis looked confused, then frowned. "No. I've read all the books, big fan by the way. Your quest was months ago, long over. I'm way past that part, what do you mean you just got back?" Alexis asked. Piper got the same confused look and looked over at Rachel.

"Rachel is that possible, to have books about our future out there? I mean if we haven't experienced it how could someone know about it?" Piper asked the oracle, thinking if she could tell the future she should know.

Rachel looked down at Alexis then over at Annabeth. "Annabeth, come here. Now!" Rachel said, hoping Annabeth would know. Annabeth hopped off the couch and walked quickly over to where Alexis was sitting on the ground.

"What's wrong now, she recommending her physiatrist for us?" Annabeth said sarcastically, wanting to get on with the books. She wanted to go and get her boyfriend was okay and go get him. But sadly she has no idea where he could be but they have been looking world wide and haven't found a trace of him. It has been keeping her up at night, not wanting to have nightmares about what might be happening to Percy; he did have plenty of enemies.

"She has read all the books about Percy's adventures, and then some. She says she knows what happens after we comeback from our quest. Is that possible?" Piper asked.

Annabeth thought for moment, is it? Then she glanced behind her at the book in Demeters hands. "Why don't we just keep reading, it she knows the future she can't tell us, it might change it. Here, let's help you to the couch." With that Annabeth pick Alexis up under her knees and her back. Ignoring her groans of pain she carried her over and place her on the couch, Nico to her right and Rachel to her left. "You're safe here, no need to be scared Alexis."

The girl nodded and looked around, taking the throne room in. "So this is the old throne room?" She whispered to Rachel, who nodded. "Wow. So since I'm stuck here, what just happened in the book?"

Nico was the one to answer. "Percy just killed his teacher at a museum."

Alexis groaned, "Ugh, you're not even that far in. Okay, let's start reading then. How many books are there?"

"Six, but before we read can you tell us what happened to you?" Leo asked just before he got slapped by Piper.

Alexis flinched then looked at herself as if just realizing how bad her injuries were. "I'll say some. I tore my shoulder muscle in a basketball game, I got the rest from when I was kidnapped the first time, and I apparently hurt my back from when I fell from the ceiling.

The gods and demigods remained quiet, wondering who would kidnap her. Nico felt weird, he suddenly got really angry, like he wanted to make the person who did this to her pay. He felt rage in his blood, flowing through his body. No one noticed the son of Hades change in emotion except Aphrodite, who could sense it. She smiled but didn't say anything, yet. After a couple scones Demeter kept reading, hoping to cover the awkward silence.

**I was used to the occasional weird experience, but usually it was over quickly. This twenty-four/seven hallucination was more than I could handle.**

The gods frowned at that.

**For the rest of the year, the entire school seemed to be playing some sort of trick on me.**

"That would be an awesome prank!" Hermes cheered, already planning in his head.

"Don't even think about it," Artemis warned, smacking him in the head.

**The students acted as if they were completely and totally convinced Mrs. Kerr- perky, blonde women whom I've never seen before in my life until she got on our bus at the end of the trip- had been our pre-algebra teacher since Christmas. Every so often I would spring a Mrs. Dodds reference on somebody, just to see if I could trip them up, but they would stare at me like I was psycho.**

"Psycho, no: crazy, yes," Nico laughed.

**It got so I almost believed them—Mrs. Dodds had never existed.**

**Almost.**

"I'm betting 7 drachmas it was Grover." Nico said. Alexis giggled slightly, knowing what happens next.

"You're on death-breath," Leo laughed. Grover wasn't that bad a liar.

**But Grover couldn't fool me.**

"Ha, pay up!" Cheered Nico. Leo groaned and gave him his money.

**When I mentioned the name Dodds to him, he would hesitate, and then claim she didn't exist. But I knew he was lying.**

"He was such a bad liar," Thalia laughed. Nico and Rachel joined in.

**Something was going on. Something had happened at the museum.**

"Noooo," Alexis said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Hey the mist is pretty strong there with Chiron controlling it, so don't blame him," Annabeth defended.

**I didn't have much time to think about it during the days, but at night, visions of Mrs. Dodds with talons and leathery wings would wake me up in a cold sweat.**

"He does have weird dreams," Alexis said.

"How would you know mortal," Jason sneered. _Even a mortal liked Percy better than him, well not for long._

"In the books he is very good at describing things, it's almost creepy," Alexis shrugged off the weird looks she was getting and looked to Demeter, telling her to continue.

**The freak weather continued,**

"I really don't get why you guys hate each other," Alexis said. Zeus and Poseidon looked at her funny.

"We don't hate each other, why would you say that?" Poseidon said.

"All the arguments, fighting, killing mortals because your mad, not what normal brothers do."

**Which didn't help my mood. One night, a thunderstorm blew out the windows in my dorm room. A few days later, the biggest tornado ever spotted in the Hudson Valley touched down only fifty miles from Yancy Academy. One of the current events we studied in social studies class was the unusual number of small planes that had gone down in sudden squalls in the Atlantic that year.**

**I started feeling cranky and irritable most of the time. My grades slipped from Ds to Fs. I got into more fights with Nancy Bobofit and her friends. I was sent out into the hallway in almost every class.**

**Finally, when our English teacher, Mr. Nicoll, asked me for the millionth time why I was too lazy to study for spelling tests, I snapped. I called him an old sot.**

Annabeth, Alexis, Athena, and Dionysus cracked up at this.

"It means old drunk," Athena stated. The room filled with laughter.

**I wasn't even sure what it meant, but it sounded good.**

"Of course you didn't seaweed brain," Annabeth sighed.

**The headmaster sent my mom a letter the following week, making it official: I would not be invited back next year to Yancy Academy.**

"And the streak continues," cheered Nico and Alexis, who looked at each other and laughed. Aphrodite just silently squealed, loving the thought of Alico.

**Fine, I told myself. Just fine. I was homesick.**

"Baby," laughed Ares.

"Says the guy who still lives with his parents," said Thalia.

It took a minute to get Hermes and Apollo to stop laughing.

**I wanted to be with my mom in our little apartment on the Upper East Side, even if I had to go to public school and put up with my obnoxious stepfather and his stupid poker parties.**

**And yet... there were things I'd miss at Yancy. The view of the woods outside my dorm window, the Hudson River in the distance, the smell of pine trees. I'd miss Grover, who'd been a good friend, even if he was a little strange. I worried how he'd survive next year without me.**

"Nope, goat-boy's going with you," smirked Thalia.

**I'd miss Latin class, too—Mr. Brunner's crazy tournament days and his faith that I could do well. As exam week got closer, Latin was the only test I studied for.**

"Ugh, studying is the worst part of the test," complained Leo.

"I know! But the open ended questions are like murder," groaned Alexis.

"Oh, but the math problems are the worst," said Thalia.

"Math is the best part," said Alexis and Annabeth at the same time. Alexis smiled and Annabeth looked away.

**I hadn't forgotten what Mr. Brunner had told me about this subject being life-and-death for me. I wasn't sure why, but I'd started to believe him.**

"Good" said almost everyone *cough* not Jason *cough* said.

**The evening before my final, I got so frustrated I threw the Cambridge Guide to Greek Mythology across my dorm room.**

Athena, Annabeth, and Alexis gasped. "The poor book!"

"Are you sure you're not my daughter, dear?" Asked Athena.

"Thank you, but I'm pretty sure no," smiled Alexis. That was the best compliment she's ever gotten.

**Words had started swimming off the page, circling my head, the letters doing one-eighties as if they were riding skateboards. There was no way I was going to remember the difference between Chiron and Charon**

"He definitely does now," said Nico smiling.

**or Polydictes and Polydeuces. And conjugating those Latin verbs? Forget it.**

"Latin verbs aren't that hard," commented Jason.

"Says the Roman," laughed Alexis.

All the gods were looking at her now. This young girl, who has so much life and enthusiasm in her, needs her life saved. How can there be anything wrong?

**I paced the room, feeling like ants were crawling around inside my shirt.**

**I remembered Mr. Brunner's serious expression, his thousand-year-old eyes. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson.**

"I hate teachers like that, they're nice but annoying," mumbled Piper.

I took a deep breath. I picked up the mythology book.

"Good," said Athena and Alexis defiantly. Annabeth was staring at the ground sadly leaning on Thalia's shoulder. Lost in thought she looked like she was about to burst into tears.

**I'd never asked a teacher for help before.**

"Shocker," Jason said voice dripping in sarcasm.

_Wow he is really jealous_ thought Alexis.

**Maybe if I talked to Mr. Brunner, he could give me some pointers. At least I could apologize for the big fat F I was about to score on his exam. I didn't want to leave Yancy Academy with him thinking I hadn't tried.**

"Aww," cooed Aphrodite.

**I walked downstairs to the faculty offices. Most of them were dark and empty, but Mr. Brunner's door was ajar, light from his window stretching across the hallway floor.**

**I was three steps from the door handle when I heard voices inside the office. Mr. Brunner asked a question. A voice that was definitely Grover's said,**

**"... worried about Percy, sir."**

"Oh course that's when he walks up," said Annabeth.

**I froze. I'm not usually an eavesdropper**

"Ya and I am a wizard," said Alexis sarcastically. "He eavesdrops like every book, but by accident." She got a couple funny looks but they didn't faze her. She just sat there filled with confidence.

**but I dare you to try not listening if you hear your best friend talking about you to an adult. I inched closer.**

**"... alone this summer," Grover was saying. "I mean, a Kindly One in the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too—"**

**"We would only make matters worse by rushing him," Mr. Brunner said. "We need the boy to mature more**

"Still waiting," Thalia said.

"So he really is that bad?" Asked Alexis.

"You have no idea."

"Ok, what is with all the questions and comments from you, it like you just can't hold back," Jason said, really annoyed.

"I'm meeting my favorite fictional characters I real life, so yes I'm commenting. Notice how I haven't asked you anything," she said pointedly.

"Would you like some ice for that burn," asked Hermes. It took a couple minutes for the laughter of some immature gods and demigods to stop laughing. Some even blushed at her compliment.

"Ok, so who would you favorite demigod/Oracle be?" asked Hermes.

"Hmm, I don't know. That's a tough one. I think it would have to be… the Stolls or Leo or um, I don't know. That's a hard question, everyone is annoying in their own special way that really pisses me off as I'm reading," she finished, talking to the floor.

"YES! I BEAT YOU ALL! I AM SUPREME RULER OF AWESOMENESS!" screamed Leo as he jumped up and started doing his happy dance.

"That's only in the books Leo, I never said I liked you in real life," she answered him jokingly. Leo then sat down looking defeated.

"So who is your least favorite?" asked Apollo.

"I'd rather not say." She quickly glanced at Jason, and then looked away.

"Come on, tell us," Leo begged, hoping it wouldn't be him.

"Fine. Ok, so in the books it would be Luke, Jason,or Octavian,. In real life though, its just Jason so far.

"Wait, what?!" Jason yelled, but everyone quickly moved onto the next question.

"Wait, so who is your favorite god/ goddess?" asked Aphrodite.

"In real life or the books?"

"Both."

"Hmm, ok. In the books I would say Apollo or Hermes," cue cheering "But in real life I don't know yet," she finished.

Athena, always wanting more knowledge, asked next. "Is my daughter dating this sea spawn?" Alexis glanced at Nico, then Annabeth, who nodded her head, not wanting to be the one to tell her mother she was dating Poseidon's kid.

"Ugh, do you know how annoying it is to read every book and have to wait for the very last one for them to get together?! I mean, it is so annoying. Even when they are like totally flirting while saving the world, we have wait FOREVER for them to date. Even when they have their "date" the fourth book, he still doesn't get the hint. Or when she kisses him when the mountain is about to explode, we have to wait another book and a half. No, not until he saves the world and Annabeth almost dies for him and he kills a billion monsters, does he realize the she likes him. I mean really, it was KILLING ME! SO the answer is yes, but then you guys have to kidnap him and ruining all of our happiness. We have patently waited five whole books for this and you kill our moment. No, you don't just kill it, you beat it to dead, burn it, and leave it in a ditch! It is horrible, and it sucks!" she complained. Annabeth was beet red and the rest of the demigods were cracking up. The gods were stunned for a moment, then Aphrodite squealed and they broke into laughter at Alexis's rant. All except Athena, Poseidon, Zeus, Ares, and Artemis.

"Well, shall we continue the book?" asked the blushing mortal, wanting to move on.

"wait, what do you mean by our moment?" Annabeth asked. To her it sounded like more than one person.

"The Percy Jackson series has a total of ten books and is a New York Times best seller, everyone has read it. The books have fan sites and fan fiction and all this other fan crap. And don't even get me started on the movies, they completely and utterly suck, ruined the entire plot."

"Now, we have more questions!" cheered Hermes.

"Ok, shoot."

"OK, who is your least favorite god?"

"Um, I'd rather not get zapped of Olympus, so pass."

"No we swear on the Styx that we won't zap you, ready go," laughed Apollo. The other gods and goddesses nodded in agreement.

"I would have to say in the books it would be Hera and Zeus, but in real life it would be Zeus, Artemis, and Poseidon."

"What!" screeched most people.

"You just insulted my father and my Lady, you better have a good reason before I electrocute you!" screamed Thalia as she jumped out of her chair.

"Well, you're dad is ungrateful for your guy's help saving the world and making all the gods ignore his children completely, and now he keeps glaring at me like I stole his lightning bolt. Artemis is okay in the books, but she keeps hitting Apollo and Hermes when they are just trying to lighten the mood of Percy almost dying again and again as you read. And in the books Poseidon is pretty cool. But now he just doesn't care about his kid at all." Said Alexis super quickly without taking a breath."

Nobody said anything, Then Annabeth spoke up. "So you don't like Artemis, but you like Ares?" she said so only the demigods could hear her.

"Well, Ares is a pain in the ass and has way too much pride, but he is pretty cool. But I think he's cool just because even when he is getting his ass handed to him by a demigod, he doesn't vaporize them, just gives them empty threats. It's kind of funny."

"Well funny for you, not so much for us," muttered Annabeth.

"Anyway, can we continue?"

"No I still have some more questions. Ok, so what was the scariest moment in the books?"

"Wait, in which series?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean in The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series or the Heroes of Olympus series? Heroes of Olympus is where Piper, Jason and Leo come in, book one," she said.

"In both," said Apollo excited.

"Um probably when Annabeth and Percy hold up the sky, when Percy fights Luke, when Percy falls in mud, or when Percy and Annabeth fa-" Alexis quickly covered her mouth to stop from spilling the future.

"Or when we what?" Annabeth said suspiciously.

"Nothing," Alexis said, quickly glancing at Nico then back to Annabeth. "I'm not allowed to say."

"What were you going to say!" growled Annabeth. She really wanted to know what would happen. She pulled her knife out, flashing it at Alexis, and started wiping it off on her sleeve. "You know, I've killed a lot of monsters, but never I mortal. I've always wondered what that was like." She glanced up at Alexis, "Maybe it's time to find out."

"ANNABETH!" cried her mother. Annabeth looked up at Athena, forgetting the gods were in the room. "You will not threaten a mortal while on Olympus." She said. Athena snapped her fingers and Annabeth's knife appeared in her hand. "And I'll be taking this for good measure." Everyone was in shocked silence staring at Annabeth. Zeus cleared his throat.

"Question time is over. It's time to return to the books." Everyone nodded while Alexis was stunned in fear.

"**But he may not have time. The summer solstice deadline—"**

"What's happening on the summer solstice?" Hera asked.

She got no answers from the children.

"**Grover?" I said. "Hey, man—"**

**"Tell me they're not looking at you. They are, aren't they?"**

**"Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those socks would fit me?"**

"Not funny Percy. Not funny at all," muttered Apollo, who was sitting on the edge of his seat in anticipation of hearing about the encounter with his fates.

"**Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all."**

"Ha! You sound like a goat!" Cheered Hermes trying to break the tension.

**The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors—gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. I heard Grover catch his breath.**

**"We're getting on the bus," he told me. "Come on."**

"**What?" I said. "It's a thousand degrees in there**."

"Get in the bus," muttered Nico.

**"Come on!'" He pried open the door and climbed inside, but I stayed back.**

"Of course," Thalia said, glaring at the book.

**Across the road, the old ladies were still watching me. The middle one cut the yarn, and I swear I could hear that snip across four lanes of traffic**

Annabeth paled at hearing that.

Thalia and Rachel gasped.

Piper and Leo looked confused while Jason smirked.

Nico looked worried, but then he looked at Alexis. She said he wasn't dead, so Nico relaxed a little.

**Her two friends balled up the electric-blue socks, leaving me wondering who they could possibly be for—Sasquatch or Godzilla.**

"Ok, still not funny," grumbled Nico, but he did smile a little.

**At the rear of the bus, the driver wrenched a big chunk of smoking metal out of the engine compartment. The bus shuddered, and the engine roared back to life.**

"Ok, that shouldn't happen. The bus should be broken completely," questioned Hephaestus.

Apollo spoke up. "That would be the fates. I guess they made Percy see them cut the string, the poor boy," he muttered.

**The passengers cheered.**

**"Darn right!" yelled the driver. He slapped the bus with his hat. "Everybody back on board!"**

**Once we got going, I started feeling feverish, as if I'd caught the flu.**

Annabeth was along as pale as Nico at this point, mumbling into Thalia's shoulder, wet tears streaming down her face.

**Grover didn't look much better. He was shivering and his teeth were chattering.**

**"Grover?"**

**"Yeah?"**

**"What are you not telling me?"**

"Everything," sighed Athena. She knew her daughter was attached to this sea spawn, but it didn't mean she approved.

**He dabbed his forehead with his shirt sleeve. "Percy, what did you see back at the fruit stand?"**

**"You mean the old ladies? What is it about them, man? They're not like ... Mrs. Dodds, are they?"**

"Worse," muttered Apollo. They were his fates.

**His expression was hard to read, but I got the feeling that the fruit-stand ladies were something much, much worse than Mrs. Dodds. He said, "Just tell me what you saw."**

**"The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn."**

**He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost—older.**

"They boy has good instincts," Zeus complimented.

Thalia chuckled but didn't comment.

**He said, "You saw her snip the cord."**

**"Yeah. So?" But even as I said it, I knew it was a big deal.**

"Definitely ."

"**This is not happening," Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. "I don't want this to be like the last time."**

**"What last time?"**

**"Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth."**

"Now he's going to freak Percy out," muttered Aphrodite. She still couldn't wait to mess with his love life, but Alexico(Alexis and Nico) was still super exciting.

"**Grover," I said, because he was really starting to scare me. "What are you talking about?"**

**"Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me."**

**This seemed like a strange request to me, but I promised he could**.

"Anyone betting he breaks that promise?" Apollo joked.

"I'll take you up in that, I mean a hero can't be perfect," Poseidon said.

R.N.T. gapped at the god. He said this about his son, I really hope Percy doesn't find out.

"**Is this like a superstition or something?" I asked.**

**No answer.**

"At least he knows how we feel," grumbled Zeus, fed up with not being told anything.

**"Grover—that snipping of the yarn. Does that mean somebody is going to die?"**

"Ok, how in Hades did he guess that?" gapped Thalia. "He was actually right for once."

"Why don't we ask little miss I know everything over there," said Annabeth, her voice filled with jealousy. She knows everything about everyone, my boyfriend, me, my camp, my quests, the gods, my friends, and I don't like her.

Thalia made the mental note to talk to Annabeth later.

**He looked at me mournfully, like he was already picking the kind of flowers I'd like best on my coffin.**

"More like his shroud," muttered Nico. Alexis mumbled something in her sleep, but didn't wake up.

"Ok, off to bed young ones. We will resume reading tomorrow. Good night," said Hestia.

"Will someone show the children where their rooms will be? Let them stay in my palace, so I can make sure they aren't enemies," Zeus said importantly, before flashing out in a flash of blue light.

"He would be great at the god of theatre," sighed Apollo sarcastically. "Come children, time for bed."

"What about Alexis?" Inquired Piper. Am I the only one who cares for a human beings life?

They looked over to see her sleeping, leaned against Nico's shoulder, it had been a weird and exhausting day for her."Nico can carry her," Aphrodite smirked before she flashed out in a cloud of pink light. She loved the fact that the son of hades had a tiny crush on the mortal. The rest of the gods followed except for Hestia, Apollo, Hermes, and Hades. Nico sighed and walked over to Alexis.

"Come on, bedtime," he whispered while picking her up. She was really light, almost too light. She snuggled into his chest in her sleep. Thalia and Rachel laughed at Nico's blushing and the god of death growled.

"My son shouldn't be a pack mule for mortals," he said, eyes glowing with black fire.

"Relax uncle, Aphrodite is just trying to get your son a girl, and it looks like it's working," Hermes said, muttering the last part to Apollo. Said god laughed and earned a punch from his uncle.

"Heard that," Hades growled.

"Aunt Hestia, you can show the demigods where to go, me and Hermes have some business to attend to? Okay thanks, Bye," Apollo and Hermes rushed out leaving, sounding nervous and scared of Hades. The demigod and gods standing and staring. Hades smirked and flashed out.

"Okay children, follow me."

Hestia led them all to Zeus's palace. "We will continue tomorrow. Until then, young heroes," and flashed out.

"Let's go find our rooms," said Rachel who seemed perky despite what just happened. They all walked in and were amazed at what they saw.

**So here's the end of chapter three, I hope it was worth the wait. and please comment your opinions on Alexis's character, I would love you opinions. I take all of your comments into account when writing and love to read them. Love you all, thanks for reading. I'll try to update soon! **

**~Grace Elizabeth**


	4. Chapter 3

**Okay, so I know it's been a while since I updated last, sorry. I really have no excuse other than school and the holidays. So sorry, but I hope you like this chapter. Also, I know Annabeth might seem really moody and out of character, but it's only because she if really depressed and distraught over Percy being missing. **

_Chapter Four: Grover Loses His Pants_

Zeus's palace was the most amazing thing the kids had ever seen before. The living room was about six stories high painted so the top looked like the sky, with the clouds drifting and sun shining. All the furniture was gold and if you looked close enough you could find the occasional lightning bolt. Extravagant tapestries hung from the walks showing different scenes from Greek history. Hera was there waiting for them. "Stop, staring. Now come along I'll show you to your rooms," she said while quickly pushing the demigods out of the giant room into a god-sized hallway.

"Ok, boys on the right, girls on the left. Nico, put Alexis in that room right there," said Hera pointing to the first room on the left. Thalia opened the door for him and he walked inside and nicely set Alexis down on her bed. She let go of Nico and snuggled into a pillow instead. Nico shut the door quietly and they crept down the hall to explore. They came across a living room area that was full of movies, video games, air hockey and foosball tables, and everything a kid could dream of.

"Ok, I know we should be trying to find way back home, but why don't we just chill here for a little," Leo said, in a daze. Nico was nodding his head. Both started to walk towards the giant television, but grabbed by Thalia.

"You heard Lady Hestia, sleep, no play. Its bed time for you kids," she said laughing at the last part.

"Ugh, fine," Nico said pouting.

"Gasp, is the ghost king and son of Hades, pouting?" Laughed Piper, knowing it would bug Nico.

"I am NOT pouting," moaned Nico.

"Ok, well -go to bed-," Piper said, pouring charmspeak into her words.

"I'm going to sleep, bye," both Leo and Nico said while walking out of the room.

"Me too. Goodnight," muttered the daughter of Athena, shuffling to her room.

"Ok well the oracle needs her sleep, having visions about her missing friend is exhausting. Bye, "Rachel said skipping out of the room. Piper followed her, leaving Jason and Thalia.

"Jason, just one quick question before I go to bed, are you jealous of Percy?" Thalia asked cautiously. She was very aware her little brother could have a temper.

"No, I am not. And I suggest we leave the conversation here. Goodnight," he said clearly annoyed and angry. Jason walked off the find a room, leaving Thalia alone.

"What am I going to do?!" She muttered to herself. She lay down on the couch and drifted to sleep.

The next morning Thalia was woken up by screaming. She jumped up and ran towards the scream. It came from inside Alexis's room. "Alexis, are you ok?" She yelled through the door. Nico had just run up behind Thalia.

"Alexis are you ok? What happened?"

"Ya, I'm ok! Sorry, just forgot I was kidnapped," Alexis said jokingly, but sounded really nervous.

"Are you sure? Want me to come in?" Thalia asked, getting ready to bust down the door.

"No! I'm okay, really. I'll be out in a second. Go eat some breakfast, I'll find you guys in a minute," she said still behind her door.

"We'll be down the hall. Just scream if you need us," Nico said cautiously

"Okay, but I'm fine. Sorry for scaring you guys," she said, sounding calmer.

"It's fine. Well hurry up, I have a feeling the gods are going to get impatient," Thalia said warily. The cousins looked at each other, but walked down the hall to the kitchen despite their doubts. Nico was worried about Alexis, but knew that if something was wrong, she would tell them.

~5 Minutes Before in Alexis's Room~

Alexis was sleeping peacefully in her room. What she didn't know was that the god of death and goddess of beauty were sitting in her room, wait for her to wake up. "How did you know she had cancer, Hades? Even Apollo didn't know and he is god of Medicine," Aphrodite asked. She didn't quite know what she was doing here, she was just glad to get away from Ares. Truth was she was only dating him to piss of Hera and let her get divorced from Hephaestus.

"Well, I could feel her dying in the Throne Room. Her aura was very weak and so I looking into her family history after I flashed out. Her family has a history of cancer, but it skipped the last couple generations, so they think 'it just happened'. She got chemo recently, that much I can tell. That means her hair will start falling out. And that is why you are here," he said lightly, like none of it was, life or death.

"Well, you impress me Uncle. Now, why don't we just wake her up, I don't like this waiting thing," she complained. She was very impressed with him, but was annoyed that she had to come here. They had been waiting for fifteen minutes, and this girl was still sleeping.

"Well, Aphrodite, when you're being treated with chemo, you get really tired easily, so we will let her sleep so my son won't have to carry her out again like a pack mule," Hades said, muttering the last part.

"Ooooo," squealed the love goddess. I just love, love, love Alexico. They are such a cute couple!"

"You will not bring my son into and of your lovey business, Aphrodite. Alexico will not happen," he growled.

"Oh my," gasped the goddess. "You just used one of my couple name, correctly. EEPPP!"

Something in the room stirred. Alexis sat up, rubbing her eyes. When she saw the two sitting in her room, she did the most logical thing any mortal would do when two very powerful beings were sitting in your room waiting for you to wake up. She screamed. "AHHHHHHH!" Hades jumped up and covered her mouth with his hand, muting her cry for help. They had just calmed her down to the point of scared silence when a voice was heard outside the room.

"Alexis, are you ok?" It was obviously that hunter girl. Hades was about to let go of Alexis when he heard another set of feet run up to the door.

"Alexis are you ok? What happened?" This was Hades son. _Great, _the god thought. Aphrodite silently squealed at the sound of worry in Nico's voice. She was LOVING this couple.

"Ya, I'm ok! Sorry, just forgot I was kidnapped," Alexis said, staring wide eyed at Hades who was giving her a threatening look.

"Are you sure? Want me to come in?" Thalia yelled, sounding about ready to bust down the door. Hades looked at Aphrodite, then glared at Alexis, making sure she knew what he was thinking. _Don't you dare say a word about us to them mortal._

Alexis looked terrified, but answered the children from behind the doors. "No! I'm okay, really. I'll be out in a second. Go eat some breakfast, I'll find you guys in a minute."

"We'll be down the hall. Just scream if you need us," Nico said cautiously, like he knew something was wrong. _Damn my smart son!_

"Okay, but I'm fine. Sorry for scaring you guys," she said, trying to calm her voice down. She needed to relax before the god of the underworld killed her.

"It's fine. Well hurry up, I have a feeling the gods are going to get impatient," Thalia said warily. The three waited for a second, and then heard the feet walking away from the door. Hades relaxed and let go of the girl.

"Well little mortal girl, because of your chemo, your hair will fall out. So Hades over there, asked me to help you out. And I can't say no to my favorite uncle."

"Wait, what?" Alexis said looking genuinely confused.

"Well, chemo makes your hair fall out, so Hades called me up and we have just been sitting here waiting for you to wake up," Aphrodite said cherry like. She whipped out a mirror and showed Alexis her reflection. Hades had to cover her mouth again before Alexis screamed. Her brown hair was in clumps on her head, bald spots everywhere.

"Oh my gods! Fix it, do something, PLEASE!" begged Alexis, tears coming out of her eyes. She felt weak, pathetic, alone, and venerable, everything she hoped she would never feel again. Aphrodite walked over and pulled the young girl into a hug.

"It's ok sweetie. I know you feel horrible right now, but I'm going to help perk up your day, ok? Sometimes a little Aphrodite magic can go a long way. We are going to leave Nico speechless." Before Alexis could protest that she didn't like Nico, Aphrodite hugged the girl tighter and then let go. She actually did care about more than her looks, but no one took time to care except her favorite Uncle, Hades. Every once and awhile she would go to the Underworld to visit him, but nobody noticed so no need to cover it up. Alexis wiped away her tears and looked up at Aphrodite.

"Thanks. But, what am I going to do; I can't just magically grow my hair. Everyone is going to see and I'll have to explain everything and I don't want to go over everything again. It was painful enough the first time and now when I think about it I just…" she burst into tears as she was talking. Aphrodite squeezed her a little tighter and glanced up Hades. He looked worried, but didn't move from his position at the corner of her bed. She looked back at Alexis and got up. Alexis looked up at her to see her holding out her hand. She took it and they walked into the bathroom that was attached to her room.

"Wait here uncle, and be ready to be amazed," were Aphrodite's only words before the door shut.

~30 Minutes in the Throne Room~

Everyone was in the Throne room except Aphrodite and Alexis. Hades was sitting in his throne smirking, being the only one who knew where they were. Apparently, it took longer than Aphrodite thought so she told him to go ahead. Nico and Thalia kept glancing at each other worriedly. She was acting weird this morning, but now she was gone, so they didn't know what to think. The gods were getting restless, they were very impatient. No one seemed to notice Aphrodite missing except her husband, who seemed a little worried, but Hephaestus tried to hide it. He did really love his wife, but she didn't love him back. Suddenly, the doors to the room creaked open and Aphrodite skipped in pushing a stunning fourteen year old girl in a wheelchair. Her brown hair was fishtail-braided and her face had the perfect amount of natural looking make-up on it. She was wearing a black skirt with a cute purple designer top and one little black flat on her foot with bows on them. She blushed and hurried to park her wheelchair next to the couch, which just happened to be next to Nico thanks to a certain love goddess. Nico just looked at her, thinking she looked stunning. Alexis was playing with her hair, blushing at the ground. Everyone was staring, even gods who had wives, because she truly looked astounding. Leo was even drooling a little, causing him and Jason, who was also stareing, to be slapped by Piper.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch flies," Alexis laughed at Nico, tapping his chin. Alexis smiled at Aphrodite, who winked back, and then turned to Zeus. "Don't we have a book to read?"

"Um... Y-yes. Let's get to that. I'll read," he stuttered out. He picked up the book from a table next to his throne and began to read:

**Grover Loses his Pants**

"Wow, I didn't know they had a thing," Leo said thoughtfully, earning a slap from every female demigod in the room.

**Confession time: I ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal.**

"Of course you did," groaned Annabeth**. **

**I know, I know. It was rude. But Grover was freaking me out, looking at me like I was a dead man, muttering "Why does this always happen?" and "Why does it always have to he sixth grade?"**

"And has Grover gotten any better?" asked Alexis.

"Hmm, I guess. I mean he fooled me," Nico stated.

"Ya but your Nico," laughed Alexis, playfully punching him in the arm. And Aphrodite was silently squealing, ecstatic for this perfect Alexico moment. Thalia cleared her throat and the couple's flirting ceased immediately.

**Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up, so I wasn't surprised when, as soon as we got off the bus, he made me promise to wait for him, then made a beeline for the restroom. **

"I'm guessing it isn't that bad anymore or else he would have been in a lot of trouble," Alexis laughed, knowing what happened in the future.

"Ya, he would never survive last years... disagreement if he still had to pee every time he freaked out," laughed Thalia. She liked his girl, but had no idea what she was up to. She seemed totally terrified this morning, but completely calm and collected now. Weird.

**Instead of waiting, I got my suitcase, slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown. "East One-hundred-and-fourth and First," I told the driver.**

"How come I never got to meet the famous Sally Jackson?" asked Leo. He had heard some stories about demigods crashing there on quests and things, and apparently she was amazingly nice.

"Because you're busy," Annabeth said deadpanned.

**A word about my mother, before you meet her**

"Amazing," Thalia said dreamily. Sally was like a second mom to her; actually, she was her mom. She always had cookies when she visited an always babied her, and even though Thalia pretended to hate it she was so happy someone cared.

"I love mom," Nico said grinning. Ever since he met Sally, she filled in the mother roll that had long since been empty. It's not like his mom would have been alive even if Zeus didn't kill her, it's about 70 years later. Sally was the best mom anyone could ask for and most campers were jealous of Percy for having such a great home life.

"Really sweet" Rachel said. Ever since her family found out about her being the oracle they have been freezing her out. She still can go live with them during the school year, but they avoid talking to her at all costs, and don't even send her letters at camp. Sally was so sweet and nice, and Rachel knew she wasn't the only one who loved her.

"Extraordinary," Annabeth sighed. Even since Percy had disappeared, Sally and Annabeth had spent lots of time comforting each other and talking. Sally gave her opinions on Annabeth's designs and Annabeth gave Sally feedback on new recipes and her book. Sometimes they would just sit in silence, sometimes they would cry together. They have grown extremely close since he has been gone and even though they both missed him, their lives seemed better since they had each other to lean on.

All the gods and the rest of the demigods wondered how a mortal could leave such an impression on them. Zeus continued reading after their comments were done.

**Her name is Sally Jackson and she's the best person in the world, which just proves my theory that the best people have the rottenest luck.**

Everyone but R.N.T., Annabeth, and Alexis got questioning looks on their faces. Thalia, Nico and Rachel looked solemn while Annabeth looked like she was about to burst into tears. They all knew this qualified for Percy as well. Alexis was lost in thought, thinking about everything, the gods, her family, the time traveling thing, but mostly her condition, when would the others start to notice her hair and her inability to heal?

**Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, **

Alexis flinched at that part, but only Nico, his father, and Aphrodite seemed to notice. Nico put his arm around Alexis to try and relax her a little, and Aphrodite did a little happy dance in her seat at the couple.

**and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma. **

**The only good break she ever got was meeting my dad.**

"I can't imagine how that would be lucky," muttered Athena, only to get glared from her daughter.

**I don't have any memories of him, just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile. My mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad. She has no pictures.**

"Do gods show up in pictures?" Alexis pondered out loud.

"I... I don't know," Athena said shocked

"The mortal broke Athena," mock gasped Poseidon while high-fiving the girl. Alexis looked around, guessing she would never get an answer.

"Hey, Alexis, do you have a camera phone," Annabeth pondered.

"Ya, why?"

"Family Photo!" Cried Leo, who was getting bored of this book, nothing exciting was happening.

Hera agreed and pushed everyone to the front of the room while Alexis aimed and took a couple pictures. She scrolled through them, then sighed. "I guess not."

Nico glanced at her phone and said, "Yes. Look, they are right there. Don't you see them?"

"No, it blank, I don't see any Olympians."

"Ah," cried Apollo. "It must be the mist. The mortal can't see them because she isn't clear sighted. Here I can fix that." He waved his hand and an eerie mist filled the room, only to clear in seconds. "All better," he said cheerily plopping down on his throne smiling.

Alexis looked around the room then looked at the photos again. "*GASP* You're in the picture!" She cried.

"Yes now may we continue?" said an annoyed Dionysus.

Everyone got silent and Zeus read on.

**See, they weren't married. She told me he was rich and important, and their relationship was a secret. Then one day, he set sail across the Atlantic on some important journey, and he never came back.**

**Lost at sea, my mom told me. Not dead. Lost at sea.**

"She's lying, but she's not," said Hermes in awe and confusion. "Can I have her instead uncle?" he joked.

"I think I'll keep this one," joked Poseidon.

**She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised me on her own. She never complained or got mad. Not even once. But I knew I wasn't an easy kid.**

All the children laughed, and the gods looks confused.

**Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano**,

Annabeth growled at the name of Percy's old stepfather. Alexis was thinking, then gasped, knowing that he was now real.

**who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. When I was young, I nicknamed him Smelly Gabe. **

"That's the best he could do?" sighed Apollo dramatically. A couple people snickered, but not many.

**I'm sorry, but it's the truth. The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts.**

"How would he know what that smells like?" Alexis pondered. Her question remained unanswered.

**Between the two of us, we made my mom's life pretty hard. The way Smelly Gabe treated her, the way he and I got along … well, when I came home is a good example.**

Alexis winced, knowing what was coming. She got some weird looks but no one said anything.

**I walked into our little apartment, hoping my mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet. Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, "So, you're home."**

"Its worse reading it now because I know it's real," Alexis whispered to Nico, who was worried since she knew what happened and he didn't. Percy didn't like to talk about his stepdad before Paul.

**"Where's my mom?"**

**"Working," he said. "You got any cash?"**

"That's it, not even a welcome home?!" cried Piper. She looked shocked, even her dad said 'Hi' or had someone else say it when she got back.

**That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?**

**Gabe had put on weight. He looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift-store clothes. He had about three hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something.**

Aphrodite gagged and turned green, but no one but Alexis, Hades and Hephaestus saw. Her husband put an arm around her to calm her down, and that's when Ares noticed.

**He managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, but he stayed home most of the time. I don't know why he hadn't been fired long before. He just kept on collecting paychecks, spending the money on cigars that made me nauseous, and on beer, of course.**

"Ugh hate that smell," sighed Thalia. She couldn't help but draw parallels to her mom, who was also an alcoholic.

"You and me both," Alexis said, getting some confused looks.

**Always beer. Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling funds. He called that our "guy secret." Meaning, if I told my mom, he would punch my lights out.**

"WHAT!" screeched Annabeth. She looked furious, along with the rest if the demigods. Alexis just looked nervous as the gods looked at the book filled with guilt. Them, all powerful gods, couldn't even help an abused boy. A grey aura formed around Annabeth, and her eyes burned with rage. Thalia's body was flickering with a little lightning and Nico had shadows forming an moving around him. Rachel's glowed green an her eyes were filled with hate, not normal for this girl.

**"I don't have any cash," I told him.**

**He raised a greasy eyebrow.**

"Ok, did the Cookie Monster pop into anyone else's head at this point," Alexis said, trying to ease the tension. Leo, Piper, Thalia and Nico all raised their hands smiling a little, but noT much. Athena just wondered who this cookie monster was.

**Gabe could sniff out money like a bloodhound, which was surprising, since his own smell should've covered up everything else.**

"Ohhhh," said Athena. She looked towards not Annabeth, much to her dismay, but Alexis for confirmation, who nodded her head a fraction.

**"You took a taxi from the bus station," he said. Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change. Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?"**

"Taxi's sound fun," said Alexis dreamily, staring off into space.

"You've never rode in a taxi?" questioned Rachel, the only true New Yorker there. Alexis shook her head and Rachel's jaw dropped. "When we get back down to the city, I'll take you for a ride myself. It's part of being a New Yorker."

Alexis frowned, but quickly covered it up with a fake smile. She didn't know how long she was going to last, but hoped she would get to take that ride.

**Eddie, the super of the apartment building, looked at me with a twinge of sympathy. "Come on, Gabe," he said. "The kid just got here."**

"At least someone's decent," muttered Hera.

**"Am I right?" Gabe repeated.**

"And I'm proven wrong by these pathetic mortals."

"Hey!" Cried both Rachel and Alexis. "Just because some are horrible monsters doesn't mean we all are. You can't judge us as a group, we are all individuals." Said Alexis. Rachel nodded in agreement, both glaring at the Queen of the Gods. She looked like she was about to vaporize them so Zeus continued.

**Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas in harmony. **

**"Fine," I said. I dug a wad of dollars out of my pocket and threw the money on the table. "I hope you lose."**

"Done," said Dionysus.

The demigods looks at him in amazement. Alexis rolls she eyes. "You guys really thinks he hates you," she laughed, but only so the demigods could here. "Ever think he ignores you so if you die he won't have to feel it. Every time he messes up your name, he never gets it right. He could have guessed it right, but never ever does, maybe because he knows it but doesn't want to get attached?" she said. That made all the children shut up and think.

"**Your report card came brain boy, I wouldn't be acting so snooty!**

Annabeth growled but didn't say anything.

**I slammed the door to my room, which really wasn't my room. During school months, it was Gabe's "study." He didn't study anything in there except old car magazines, but he loved shoving my stuff in the closet, leaving his muddy boots on my windowsill, and doing his best to make the place smell like his nasty cologne and cigars and stale beer. **

Aphrodite fainted at this.

**I dropped my suitcase on the bed. **_**Home sweet home.**_

"Oh gotta love the sarcasm," said Nico and Alexis at the same time. They locked eyes, blushed and looked away. Aphrodite looked up and squealed at that.

**Gabe's smell was almost worse than the nightmares about Mrs. Dodds, or the sound of that old fruit lady's shears snipping the yarn.**

Athena smirked knowingly. She liked knowing about the stepfather's scent before everyone else.

**But as soon as I thought that, my legs felt weak. I remembered Grover's look of panic-how he'd made me promise I wouldn't go home without him. A sudden chill rolled through me. I felt like someone-something-was looking for me right now, maybe pounding its way up the stairs, growing long, horrible talons.**

The room was silent for they all feared what would happen next.

**Then I heard my mom's voice. "Percy?"**

And then the most immature people ( you can guess) broke into a fit of laughter.

**She opened the bedroom door, and my fears melted.**

"Awwwwww" cried most of the females in the room, except Athena , Artemis, and Alexis.

**My mother can make me feel good just by walking into the room. Her eyes sparkle and change color in the light. Her smile is as warm as a quilt. She's got a few gray streaks mixed in with her long brown hair, but I never think of her as old. When she looks at me, it's like she's seeing all the good things about me, none of the bad. I've never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Gabe.**

"Gods, she's good," complimented Ares, surprisingly. He already wanted to strangle the kid, but didn't quite know why.

"**Oh, Percy." She hugged me tight. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"**

**Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice**

"EWWW," yelled most people. Licorice was gross. "You have a weird boyfriend Annabeth," commented Leo.

**and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She'd brought me a huge bag of "free samples," the way she always did when I came home.**

You could hear stomachs grumble all across the room.

**We sat together on the edge of the bed. While I attacked **(Ares perked up at the sound of that, but then slouched back down disappointed) **the blueberry sour strings, she ran her hand through my hair and demanded to know everything I hadn't put in my letters. She didn't mention anything about my getting expelled. She didn't seem to care about that. But was I okay? Was her little boy doing all right?**

Snickers and 'AWWWW's filled the room.

**I told her she was smothering me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her.**

"Oh my gods, imagine all the blackmail we are going to get from this," cheered Nico. Thalia high-fived him and smiled hugely.

**From the other room, Gabe yelled, "Hey, Sally-how about some bean dip, huh?"**

**I gritted my teeth. My mom is the nicest lady in the world. She should've been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Gabe.**

"How about a god," Hermes said, straightening his shirt. Artemis slapped him on the back of the head.

**For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Yancy Academy. I told her I wasn't too down about the expulsion. I'd lasted almost the whole year this time. I'd made some new friends. I'd done pretty well in Latin. And honestly, the fights hadn't been as bad as the headmaster said. I liked Yancy Academy. I really did. I put such a good spin on the year, I almost convinced myself. **

"Wow, lying is ok, but spying is a big no," said Hermes thoughtfully. "I'll have my sons teach him a thing or two."

**I started choking up, thinking about Grover and Mr. Brunner. Even Nancy Bobofit suddenly didn't seem so bad.**

"Wow, he was so optimistic back then," said Rachel. "What happened?" All the children burst out into fits of laughter.

**Until that trip to the museum …**

**"What?" my mom asked. Her eyes tugged at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. "Did something scare you?"**

"No, only a demon math teacher turning into a blood thirsty Fury," said Leo Sarcastically.

"He still should have died," muttered Jason, who had been silently fuming the entire time. He didn't even care that Jackson had been abused; he just needed to prove he was better.

**"No, Mom."**

"NO LYING TO YOUR MOTHER!" burst out Hera, who was annoyed that this kid would lie to his mother, his only decent parent.

**I felt bad lying. **

"You should," muttered Hera.

**I wanted to tell her about Mrs. Dodds and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I thought it would sound stupid.**

"Hey mom, my math teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill me, and then I saw three really old ladies knit giant blue socks on the way home," said Alexis, who then paused, thinking. "Ya, that does sound stupid like that."

"Well you only say that because you are some pathetic mortal," growled Annabeth who was getting fed up with this girl.

"That's all Percy thought he was at the time," Alexis said back.

"Ya, but you will never be anything more, just a pathetic, weak, lonely, unwanted mortal. Percy is the Savior if Olympus, and the best fighter we have ever had. You are just done lazy, sick mortal who doesn't care about others," Annabeth said, her voice full if hatred and rage.

"At least I know if Percy is alive or not. You're just sitting there wondering when, where, and how you are going to find him. You are so focused in that you are pushing everyone away! You don't even realize what's going on around you. All you do is eat, sleep, cry, mope around and force people to build a giant warship!" screamed Alexis, who was really hurt by Annabeth's comments.

The room was silent; no one even dared to breathe. The two girls stared each other down, Annabeth finally backing down. Alexis looked away after Annabeth and wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. She suddenly felt like a freak and outsider, she wanted to go home, at least she would have people who understood what was happening to her.

**She pursed her lips. She knew I was holding back, but she didn't push me.**

**"I have a surprise for you," she said. "We're going to the beach."**

**My eyes widened. "Montauk?"**

"Oh gods that place is fun," Thalia said cheerily trying to break the tension.

**"Three nights—same cabin."**

**"When?"**

**She smiled. "As soon as I get dressed."**

**I couldn't believe it. My mom and I hadn't been to Montauk the last two summers, because Gabe said there wasn't enough money.**

A couple growls could be heard across the room.

**Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, "Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?"**

"Ya, we heard you asshole," growled Piper. Thalia hit her on the back of the head.

"Language! There are children in the room," she said looking at Nico and Alexis. They both started complaining but Zeus interrupted.

**but I met my mom's eyes and I understood she was offering me a deal: be nice to Gabe for a little while. Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk. Then we would get out of here.**

**"I was on my way, honey," she told Gabe. "We were just talking about the trip."**

**Gabe's eyes got small. "The trip? You mean you were serious about that?"**

"Damn straight," muttered Thalia. This time Piper slapped her. "Language!" They both burst out laughing joined by Rachel, Leo, Nico and Alexis, but hers sounded a tiny bit forced. Jason even smirked a little but Annabeth was still pissed.

**"I knew it," I muttered. "He won't let us go."**

**"Of course he will," my mom said evenly. "Your stepfather is just worried about money. That's all. Besides," she added, "Gabriel won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works."**

"Bribery, dear gods this woman is amazing!" cheered Hermes who was already in love.

"I don't know brother, I think you're going to have to fight me for this one," said Apollo jokingly. Hermes slapped him in the head with his caduceus and kept a straight face.

"I win." Almost everyone burst out laughing at that.

**Gabe softened a bit. "So this money for your trip … it comes out of your clothes budget, right?"**

"WHAT!" screeched Aphrodite. "You shouldn't be allowed to put a budget on clothes that should be against the law!" Aphrodite was steaming mad; her eyes were filled with rage and anger. You could almost see smoke coming out of her ears.

**"Yes, honey," my mother said.**

**"And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back."**

**"We'll be very careful."**

**Gabe scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip … And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game."**

"He funded that stupid game, you pig," growled Thalia. She never heard about Gabe until now and hated him for treating Percy like that.

**'Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot,' I thought. 'I'd make you sing soprano for a week.'**

"Yes!"everyone one yelled, some even fell into giggling fits.

**But my mom's eyes warned me not to make him mad.**

**Why did she put up with this guy? I wanted to scream. Why did she care what he thought?**

"Oh if only he knew," muttered Athena. She felt a bit sorry for the boy, but not much.

**"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now."**

**Gabe's eyes narrowed. His tiny brain was probably trying to detect sarcasm in my statement.**

"How could you not!" Exclaimed Nico and Alexis at the same time, again. Both blush and looked away while Aphrodite squealed and Hades just laughed at his son and his soon-to-be girlfriend. Maybe Aphrodite was rubbing off on him after all.

**"Yeah, whatever," he decided. He went back to his game.**

**"Thank you, Percy," my mom said. "Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about… whatever you've forgotten to tell me, okay?"**

**For a moment, I thought I saw anxiety in her eyes-the same fear I'd seen in Grover during the bus ride-as if my mom too felt an odd chill in the air.**

"Maybe the hot air coming out of Gabes head stopped for a moment," said Athena. Everyone gasped, while Alexis just laughed.

"Did Bird-brain just make a joke?" asked Poseidon.

"Yes I did Fish-face, so shut up," she answered. Everyone else stopped holding their breath and laughed along with Alexis. Once everyone caught their breath the story continued.

**But then her smile returned, and I figured I must have been mistaken. She ruffled my hair and went to make Gabe his seven-layer dip.**

**An hour later we were ready to leave. Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom's bags to the car.**

"Why doesn't he get off his a- butt," Leo corrected himself, for fear of being slapped. "And do it himself."

**He kept griping and groaning about losing her cooking-and more important, his '78 Camaro-for the whole weekend. **

**"Not a scratch on this car, brain boy," he warned me as I loaded the last bag. "Not one little scratch."**

"Like he'd be the one driving" said Leo.

**Like I'd be the one driving. I was twelve.**

"AH! Leo, you have PJD! What are we going to do?" cried Nico.

_He's starting to act like a kid again_, thought Thalia.

"Whats PJD?" asked Demeter.

"Percy Jackson Disease. It's when you think or act like Percy, and the disease is fatal," said Nico, laughing.

**But that didn't matter to Gabe. If a seagull so much as pooped on his paint job, he'd find a way to blame me.**

**Watching him lumber back toward the apartment building, I got so mad I did something I can't explain. As Gabe reached the doorway, I made the hand gesture I'd seen Grover make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over my heart, then a shoving movement toward Gabe. The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the staircase as if he'd been shot from a cannon. **

"But, that's not possible! Only satyrs should be able to do that!" exclaimed Dionysus. Everyone one looked amazed and confused.

"What did he do anyway?" asked Alexis.

"It's a gesture for warding off evil, but only satyrs should be able to do it because of their nature magic. Demigods and mortals should not have enough power for it to work a little, let alone throw someone through a door," replied the god of wine.

"Oh."

**Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but I didn't stay long enough to find out.**

**I got in the Camaro and told my mom to step on it.**

**Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets**

Athena, Annabeth and Alexis flinched at that. "Ugh, HATE spiders," moaned Alexis. They were pretty terrifying. She provoked some thoughts in Athena's head. _She is more and more like one of my daughters as this book continues, _thought Athena. _Hmmmm._

**, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.**

"Like that would stop him," laughed Thalia. She was glad to be able to have a break from Annabeth crying and yelling at her to help with the ship.

**I loved the place**

**We'd been going there since I was a baby. My mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her. It was the place where she'd met my dad.**

"OH, so Poseidon's a romantic," said Aphrodite knowingly.

Said god laughed, "I guess I am."

**As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the color of the sea**

**We got there at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine. We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.**

"Ok, what's with the blue food," asked Apollo. Just the thought of food was making him hungry.

**I guess I should explain the blue food**

"Good."

**Gabe had once told my mom there was no such thing. They had this fight, which seemed like a really small thing at the time. But ever since, my mom went out of her way to eat blue. She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop. This-along with keeping her maiden name, Jackson, rather than calling herself Mrs. Ugliano-was proof that she wasn't totally suckered by Gabe. She did have a rebellious streak, like me**

"More like an obedient streak," laughed Rachel.

Poseidon was worried for a moment, but then brushed it off. _His sons were strong fighters, he should be fine. And even if he dies, I have plenty of sons to fill his place._

**When it got dark, we made a fire. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Mom told me stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash. She told me about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop.**

"Did she ever finish her book?" asked Alexis.

"Ya, she did. It was a mystery novel, but it hasn't been published yet," said Rachel. She couldn't wait to read it.

"Ok, I'll be on the lookout," laughed Alexis.

**Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask about what was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk-my father. Mom's eyes went all misty. I figured she would tell me the same things she always did, but I never got tired of hearing them.**

More 'Awww's filled the room.

"**He was kind, Percy," she said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes."**

"The family resemblance is a little creepy," laughed Rachel.

**Mom fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud."**

Some people looked at Poseidon, who shrugged. "I don't know if I'm proud or not, this is my future self."

"But he just took down a fury with zero training, shouldn't you be proud, even a little?" questioned Alexis. She was amazed at the difference between book Poseidon and real Poseidon. He shrugged and Zeus continued.

**I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years.**

"It takes skill to get thrown out of every school you have ever went to," laughed Alexis.

**"How old was I?" I asked. "I mean … when he left?"**

**She watched the flames. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin."**

**"But… he knew me as a baby."**

**"No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born."**

"Ouch, a slap in the face," sighed Rachel.

**I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember … something about my father. A warm glow. A smile.**

"Woah, he got visited by his dad, no fair," laughed Nico.

"Ya, but you got every video game you could ever want," laughed Thalia. The gods looked confused, but the kids were laughing.

**I had always assumed he knew me as a baby. My mom had never said it outright, but still, I'd felt it must be true. Now, to be told that he'd never even seen me … I felt angry at my father. Maybe it was stupid, but I resented him for going on that ocean voyage, for not having the guts to marry my mom. He'd left us, and now we were stuck with Smelly Gabe.**

"Well, he does have a good reason to be mad. It must suck," sighed Alexis.

"It does, but it is pretty fun," said Leo. He did miss his mom and sometimes was mad at his dad, but working on the Argo II was amazing.

**"Are you going to send me away again?" I asked her. "To another boarding school?"**

**She pulled a marshmallow from the fire. "I don't know, honey." Her voice was heavy. "I think … I think we'll have to do something."**

**"Because you don't want me around?"**

"Wrong thing to say, boy," murmured Hera. _You shouldn't speak to your mother that way._

**My mom's eyes welled with tears. She took my hand, squeezed it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I-I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away."**

**Her words reminded me of what Mr. Brunner had said-that it was best for me to leave Yancy. "Because I'm not normal," I said.**

"Man, his day sucks doesn't it," whispered Leo. Instead of hitting Leo again, Piper just nodded.

**"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe." She met my eyes, and a flood of memories came back to me-all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to me, some of which I'd tried to forget.**

**During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked me on the playground. When the teachers threatened to call the police, he went away growling, but no one believed me when I told them that under his broad-brimmed hat, the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his. **

"Wait, so a Cyclopes is stalking him, is that good or bad?" asked Piper.

"I don't know. It could just be Poseidon keeping tabs on him, or a monster trying to kill him," answered Annabeth, deep in thought.

**Before that-a really early memory. I was in preschool, and a teacher accidentally put me down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into. My mom screamed when she came to pick me up and found me playing with a limp, scaly rope I'd somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands.**

"It's like Hercules. Except cooler," Nico said. Jason growled, _he isn't cooler or better than any son of Zeus or Jupiter, especially not me._

_**In every single school, something **_**creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move.**

**I knew I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds at the art museum, about my weird hallucination that I had sliced my math teacher into dust with a sword. But I couldn't make myself tell her. I had a strange feeling the news would end our trip to Montauk, and I didn't want that.**

"His being selfish is going to get them killed," stated Athena. _I just hope he isn't this reckless with my daughter._

**"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," my mom said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy-the place your father wanted to send you. And I just… I just can't stand to do it."**

**"My father wanted me to go to a special school?"**

**"Not a school," she said softly. "A summer camp."**

"The best summer camp EVER!" cheered Leo. The demigods and Rachel joined in. Alexis felt like an outsider again. She was ecstatic she got to meet them, but she was missing something, something that kept her from cheering with the rest of the kids. ApHrodite felt her feeling, and started forming a plan.

**My head was spinning. Why would my dad-who hadn't even stayed around long enough to see me born- talk to my mom about a summer camp? And if it was so important, why hadn't she ever mentioned it before?**

**"I'm sorry, Percy," she said, seeing the look in my eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I-I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."**

**"For good? But if it's only a summer camp …"**

All the demigods and the oracle cheered, and Aphrodite could feel the pulse of excitement and happiness fill the room, but could feel something else. It was small, but it was the complete opposite of everyone else. She glanced at Alexis, and saw she wasn't smiling, just looking down at the floor lost in thought. This made the goddess of love frown.

**She turned toward the fire, and I knew from her expression that if I asked her any more questions she would start to cry.**

**That night I had a vivid dream**

"UGH!" groaned all the kids. They all knew he had the worst dreams.

**It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagles wings. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder I ran toward them, knowing I had to stop them from killing each other, but I was running in slow motion. I knew I would be too late. I saw the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse's wide eyes, and I screamed, No!**

"Haha, I win," laughed Zeus. Poseidon rolled his eyes, and told Zeus to keep reading.

**I woke with a start.**

**Outside, it really was storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.**

Ares perked up at the sound of artillery and Aphrodite rolled her eyes.

**With the next thunderclap, my mom woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, "Hurricane."**

**I knew that was crazy. Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer. But the ocean seemed to have forgotten. Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my hair stand on end.**

"Hey uncle,, why did you forget?" joked Apollo, who then got soaked in water.

**Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice-someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door. My mother sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock. Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn't… he wasn't exactly Grover.**

"Grover but not Grover, very specific," laughed Leo.

**"Searching all night," he gasped. "What were you thinking?"**

"I still don't get why he was looking for them, shouldn't he have led it away from Percy?" asked Alexis.

"The thing was heading towards Percy, he was just trying to move them first," answered Annabeth.

"Ohhh."

**My mother looked at me in terror-not scared of Grover, but of why he'd come. "Percy," she said, shouting to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"**

"Everything," sighed Thalia. She was having a major case of déjà.

**I was frozen, looking at Grover. I couldn't understand what I was seeing. "O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he yelled.**

"What?" asked Alexis, being the only one who didn't speak ancient Greek. After becoming the Oracle, words and phrases became easier for her, but it still wasn't easy.

"It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?" Translated Nico, smiling at Alexis.

**"It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"**

"Ahh, I think like a goat!"

**I was too shocked to register that he'd just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I'd understood him perfectly. I was too shocked to wonder how Grover had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night. Because Grover didn't have his pants on-and where his legs should be … where his legs should be …**

"Yes, yes…" said Leo with mock suspense, leaning forward in his seat.

**My mom looked at me sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before: "Percy. Tell me now!" I stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds, and my mom stared at me, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning. She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, "Get to the car. Both of you. Go!"**

**Grover ran for the Camaro-but he wasn't running, exactly. He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to me. I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked.**

**Because where his feet should have been, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves.**

"Well, that chapter's over, who's reading next?" asked Zeus. Suddenly, the room became dim. There was a scuffle, a high pitched shriek, and the sound of something metal hitting the floor.

**AN: Ooo, a cliff hanger, please read and review. Come on, the review button is sad, make it feel better by clicking it. Okay, well I hoped you liked it, I think it was an okay chapter. See you guys next time!**

**~Grace Elizabeth**


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